It was the season for giving as The Salvation Army in Bowling Green surpassed its goal for its red kettle fundraiser.

This year, the Bowling Green organization collected $126,000 – its goal was $100,000. Shoppers gave 35 percent more money than they did last year, Salvation Army Maj. Ed Binnix said.

“A bad economy usually translates into good kettles because everybody knows somebody who’s hurting,” he said.

Binnix also attributed increased donations to his bell ringers – some workers sang or played instruments, which draws more people to the kettle, he said.

And the fundraiser got a boost closer to Christmas, he said.

“On Christmas Eve, there’s this sense of relief among people,” he said. “They’re finalizing their shopping … they look at the bell ringer at that point and go, ‘Why not?’ ”

During the holidays, the organization also operates its Angel Tree drive – residents adopt children from low-income families and buy Christmas gifts for them.

This year about 3,500 to 3,800 children participated in the program – about 40 to 50 children did not get adopted.

“That’s including those (gifts) that did not get turned back in,” Binnix said. “We filled their orders as best we could; I think most everybody got taken care of.”

This year, several teenagers were not adopted. As children grow older, they ask for more expensive items and they begin wearing adult-sized clothes, which cost more money.

“The last angels on the trees almost all are teenagers because people realized, ‘I can’t afford to purchase those kinds of clothes,’ ” he said. “People are struggling to afford clothes for themselves.”

Now, Binnix is planning his budget for the year. It’s too early to predict how much money the organization will have in its upcoming budget, he said, but the red kettle fundraiser makes up about 20 percent of the overall budget.

Binnix also is counting funds raised through mailed donations. The Salvation Army sends letters to donors, asking them to support the organization. During its Thanksgiving campaign, the organization raised $32,000, he said.

“Anybody who received one of those, please don’t treat that as junk mail,” he said. “The help is very much needed; our work goes on year-round.”

The organization also continually collects food for its pantry. Workers box food and send it to needy families. They also prepare and serve food at The Salvation Army.

About 16 teenagers from two local churches volunteered Tuesday at The Salvation Army, stuffing boxes with food.

A youth group from Seventh Street Baptist Church regularly volunteers at The Salvation Army. They packaged food Tuesday “to help out the community for people that don’t have stuff like we do,” said LaJustin Scgers, 15, of Bowling Green. “We don’t want anyone to be without.”

Another group from Eastwood Baptist Church helped pack boxes and count food inventory.

“It’s a good opportunity to spend time together for a good cause,” said Rachel Edwards, 15, of Bowling Green.

Deshawna Maxey, inventory and food bank coordinator for The Salvation Army, said the amount of donated food has quadrupled in the past two years.

“That’s the heart and soul of what they do at The Salvation Army,” she said. “More people are seeing there’s absolutely a need in the community for services like this.”