Monday, NOVEMBER 3, 2025 |

Photo – Salvation Army logo – Courtesy Salvation Army

An anonymous donation has allowed the Rawlins Salvation Army branch to resume offering financial assistance to residents in Carbon County.

On Thursday evening, Salvation Army volunteer Tink Day announced on social media that she had received a generous $3,000 donation from a Rawlins family. With that money, Day wrote, the Salvation Army can resume financial assistance for utility and housing payments.

Two years ago, Day stepped away from the local Salvation Army branch, citing a need for time off. WYO Help, a statewide charity, stepped in to manage the organization. Problems with vendor payments caused the WYO Help to end its involvement last December.

At the time of the split, Executive Director of Emergency Disaster Services for the Salvation Army Intermountain Division Ian Anderson issued a written statement acknowledging that the organization was at fault.

Anderson said that the Divisional Headquarters Finance Department was understaffed, causing assistance checks to be issued “very late.” The delays upset clients and local vendors working with the Salvation Army.

Frustrated by the unpaid invoices, the vendors directed their complaints at WYO Help, ultimately prompting the organization to end its long-standing partnership with the Salvation Army.

Thanks to support from St. Christopher’s Highway of Carbon County, Tink Day reassumed control of the Rawlins Salvation Army affiliate in April. Speaking to Bigfoot99, Day said that a lack of funding had prevented her from processing assistance requests for two months. The situation changed when Day received two large donations from an anonymous family in Rawlins.

Day said the money will be used to assist Carbon County families with housing and utility bills, adding that the Salvation Army has set a $200 annual limit per household.

For rent assistance payments, Day said the Salvation Army requires the landlord’s sales tax ID number to prevent fraud. Day added that she already has a list of tax ID numbers for most large rental properties.

Day encouraged residents to seek help with utility payments before their service is shut off. Once that happens, Day said, individuals must bring their accounts up to date before the Salvation Army can step in.

As of Friday morning, Day said she had processed four assistance requests and was expecting two more later in the day.

Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, are unlikely to receive their November benefits. Day said she expects more people to seek help. Day hopes local charities can work together to support residents with food and utility payments.

Day, who also volunteers with St. Vincent de Paul, said she’s already seeing a rise in the number of people seeking food aid.

In anticipation of a surge in aid requests, Day said the regional Salvation Army headquarters authorized her to begin holiday donation collections early. Typically, bell ringers start after Thanksgiving, but this year, collections outside Rawlins’ grocery stores will begin on November 15th.

Day opened registration for Salvation Army bell ringer volunteers on Saturday, November 1st. A link to the sign-up sheet is available in the Rawlins News and Chatter Facebook group. Additionally, those wishing to help may call Day directly 321-4989 to schedule a time to collect donations.

If you need help with housing or utility payments, call the Salvation Army at 321-6688. A volunteer will take your information and pass it along to Day, who will return your call as soon as possible.

The post Anonymous Donation Allows Local Salvation Army to Resume Assisting Residents first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.