Rescue Mission Raises Over $108k in ‘Buckets of Blessings’

The Cookeville Rescue Mission reports over $108,000 were raised during its annual ‘Buckets of Blessings’ campaign this holiday season.

Executive Director Bruce Bailey says the campaign was successful but notes there is room for improvement.

“We do have to supplement a number of volunteers because we still have not reached the point where we have a sufficient amount of volunteers to cover every location for every day,” Bailey says. “So we’re still working on that and we have a plan for next year.”

The Rescue Mission will begin having groups such as churches volunteer for specific areas that is more convenient to them.

Bailey says ‘Buckets of Blessings’ is the organization’s largest fundraising event each year with funding going towards operating the Mission.

“These ‘Buckets of Blessings’ campaigns and our mail appeal that goes out from September to the end of December is money that we collect now and helps us run the Mission for the entire year,” Bailey says. “It’s a portion and not the entire portion. But it’s a large, significant portion of our income for the entire year.”

The Rescue Mission will also look into how donations were made and where as they continue evaluating funds donated through the holiday campaign.

“For better accounting purposes and business operations, we’re trying to separate out different streams of income to say this is where ‘Buckets of Blessings’ money comes in, this  other stream is what comes through the website,” Bailey says. “That helps us to know how to reach the public and what is the best way. There may be, for instance, some locations where we have the bell ringing that don’t produce for us.”

Bailey says the Rescue Mission continues to tally donations and does not have an official final count as of yet. The Rescue Mission thanks all who volunteered and/or donated to the cause this holiday season.