Salvation Army bell ringers are out in front of stores across Bryan College Station, but this year things have changed.

Wal-Mart is only allowing bell ringers on the property for half the usual time, and Target has banned them all together.

"It has always been for the last 10 years our number one location, our prime location. So it was real disappointing, it was a shock to us," said volunteer and state representative Fred Brown.

A Target spokesperson said they changed the policy to guarantee fairness and consistency to all non-profit organizations.

Last year, bell ringers at Target raised over $17,000. This year, organizers said it's like starting $17,000 short.

"We need to find probably five or six more locations to make up for it because we did make a lot of money there," said Captain Henry Houston with the Salvation Army.

Houston said store policy changes are a problem he is starting to see more and more of.

"It's harder to do that because most people are going to that. We wanted to bring in Academy Sports but they have the same policy. We want to ring at other locations, they have the same policy," said Houston.

So the next time you hear a ringing bell, the Salvation Army is asking for your assistance, because this year's goal might be a littler tougher to reach.