Jobs at The Salvation Army could be under threat due to a shortfall in funding, Bermuda’s divisional commander Major Frank Pittman has revealed to The Royal Gazette .

The charitable religious organisation received $411,089 from 697 donors last year, short of its $550,000 goal, with Government funding cutbacks also cited as a factor.

The total is also considerably less than its 2014 takings, when 767 donors gave $534,553.

“We have some very faithful supporters we can always depend on, and we are so grateful that they have responded again this year,” Major Pittman said.

“We appreciate their generosity and the confidence that they place in The Salvation Army to care for those in need.”

However, due to the 25 per cent shortfall, The Salvation Army needs more than $200,000 to balance its budget for 2016.

London minister William Booth founded The Salvation Army in 1865 to help the city’s homeless and destitute residents, and has since expanded to 127 countries across the globe. The organisation bestows quasi-military ranks upon its members, who number about two million, while its remit in helping others remains broad, encompassing everything from education to disaster relief and medical services.

Among the programmes it offers on the island are food banks, feeding initiatives, a residential addiction service, emergency housing and counselling.

“We like to focus on the impact we make on people’s lives rather than cost, but the reality is that our social programmes are costly to operate,” Major Pittman said.

“Our services offer help, hope and dignity to struggling families in Bermuda throughout the entire year.”

This past Christmas, as part of its annual appeal, The Salvation Army donated 1,600 food hampers and 900 toys around the island.

But Major Pittman said that, as matters stand, the organisation’s Bermuda division may have to lay off some of its 30-plus staff members next month, at the end of the fiscal year, if funding cannot be found.

“As we prepare our 2016-17 budget, we have to consider cutbacks in services and possibly lose some staff, which is the last thing we want to do,” he said.

“It’s a great cause of concern for the organisation. We have brothers and sisters in Bermuda who are struggling, and we should remember to care for them.”

• To offer your help, call 292-0601 or visit the Salvation Army headquarters at 76 Roberts Avenue, Devonshire