Target was Gainesville Salvation Army's top kettle site

MINNEAPOLIS - The Salvation Army in Gainesville will have one less place this year to set up its Christmas Kettles.

Target says like many nationwide retailers, Target has a long-standing "no solicitation" policy that must "consistently be applied across all of its stores."

Capt. David Swyers, commander of the Gainesville Salvation Army, says the Gainesville Target was the top producing site for its Christmas Kettles.

"We receive an increasing number of solicitation inquiries from non-profit organizations each year and determined that if we continue to allow the Salvation Army to solicit, then it opens the door to other groups that wish to solicit our guests," according to a statement issued by corporate headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The company says it notified the Salvation Army of the new policy in January.

"This decision does not diminish Target Corporation's commitment to its communities," the statement says. "Target has one of the largest corporate philanthropy programs in America, donating more than $2 million per week and hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours each year to the communities in which it does business."

The Salvation Army Christmas Kettles in Gainesville usually begin appearing around town the day after Thanksgiving.