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The Salvation Army corps serving the heart of the Mon-Yough area reports that collections in its annual Red Kettle Campaign are falling behind again this year.

Capt. Sean Barton, who commands the city's Worship and Service Center at the corner of Walnut and Ninth streets, says collections are down $7,000 so far.

His goal is $70,000. In 2007 the collection fell short and Barton says the local Army corps was forced to make cuts.

"Last year we couldn't hire a youth worker," Barton says. "This year, if we fall short again, well, that position isn't filled right now and (not filling it) would be the easiest way to say we're going to save 'X' number of dollars."

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Besides the city, the McKeesport Corps also serves Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln, Port Vue, North and South Versailles townships, Versailles, White Oak, and parts of Elizabeth and Forward townships.

The decline in donations comes as requests for assistance around the Pittsburgh area are up 20 percent, says Ginny Knor, spokesperson for the Western Pennsylvania Division of the Salvation Army.

"And we're finding a different sort of client coming in," she says. "We're finding people who had never sought out social services before. This is a very proud, hard-working area --- especially in the Mon Valley --- and you almost have to chase after people to help them."

Layoffs and financial difficulties are hitting people from "all economic levels," Knor says. "We have to really take special care with someone who has never walked into our doors before --- the first time can be very daunting."

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Although the Salvation Army is also a Christian church, its community service efforts are non-denominational and recipients of aid from the Army are not proselytized.

In fact, many Salvation Army volunteers are not themselves Salvationists.

"My mom works in the New Stanton service unit, out of her Lutheran church," Knor says. "It's really kind of humbling that we have thousands of people out there doing this stuff for no pay. They volunteer to do casework, or drive around and put out the kettles."

In addition, all money collected by an Army corps during its Red Kettle drive remains in the community, she says.

"The money you put in McKeesport area kettles stays in the community," Knor says.

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During 2008, one of the McKeesport Corps' biggest outreach efforts was finding replacement furniture for residents of the Hi View Gardens apartments who lost everything in a fire July 11.

But the city's center also feeds the homeless three nights per week, provides after-school programs for youth, and operates an emergency food bank.

"We also provide utility assistance through the Dollar Energy Fund," Barton says. Last year, 360 Mon-Yough area residents applied for assistance paying their heating bills through the Salvation Army.

Barton's not sure why McKeesport has been falling behind in its kettle collection, but he suspects the region's population decline and the relatively poor communities served by the city's corps are the main reasons.

"We don't have any big shopping centers like Century III or even Monroeville Mall, so we're limited, too, with the number of places we can put out kettles," he says.

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The McKeesport Corps' kettles this year are located at Shop 'n Save and Save-a-Lot at Olympia Shopping Center; Giant Eagle, O'Neil Boulevard; Shop 'n Save on Fifth Avenue, Downtown; World of Values, Rainbow Shopping Center, White Oak; Scozio's Giant Eagle, Oak Park Mall, White Oak; Wal-Mart and Kmart in North Versailles Township; and Spagnolo's Foodland in Glassport (Saturdays only).

Retired postal carriers are also manning a kettle on selected days at the Central Post Office at the corner of Walnut and Ninth.

Most kettles are manned (or womanned) from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Barton says, with two shifts at each kettle through Dec. 24.

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Many local civic groups are helping staff the McKeesport Corps' kettles, including members of McKeesport-White Oak Kiwanis, AARP Chapter 2911 in Versailles, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, the College Club of McKeesport, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, and the McKeesport Missionary Alliance Church.

"This year, all of our locations are staffed, plus there are a couple of extra people who run between locations to give the workers breaks," Barton says.

More help is welcome, he says, but what would be just as welcome is more money.

"People always say 'I'm so sorry, I only have this change,'" Barton says. "They don't understand how the change adds up. Last Friday and Saturday, we had $800 worth of (coins) in our kettles."

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Besides depositing donations in the Salvation Army's kettles, contributions to the McKeesport Corps' Red Kettle Campaign can be mailed to 821 Walnut St., McKeesport 15132. Donations can also be made at www.onlineredkettle.com.

Other Salvation Army corps serving the Mon-Yough area include the Braddock Corps, 300 Holland Ave., Braddock 15104; and the Steel Valley Corps, 104 E. Ninth Ave., Homestead 15120.