The Salvation Army is Keeping the Bells Ringing this Red Kettle Season to Serve Massachusetts Individuals and Families in Need
The Salvation Army is Keeping the Bells Ringing this Red Kettle Season to Serve Massachusetts Individuals and Families in Need
Fewer kettles are out to receive donations yet the need is greater than ever as families struggle in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic
The holiday season is in full swing and that means The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Season is officially underway. With fewer Red Kettles in communities this holiday season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Salvation Army is projecting that donations to its iconic kettle will be down by more than 50 percent with needs for assistance up by 155 percent or more nationwide.
The Salvation Army Massachusetts Division will Keep the Bells Ringing this season of giving to ensure that they can continue to support communities throughout the holidays and the entire year. The pandemic has brought a new set of challenges for The Salvation Army, yet that hasn’t stopped their mission to serve anyone in need, including those who are struggling even more this year due to COVID-19.
With new pandemic guidelines in place, The Salvation Army is committed to ensuring that their volunteers and communities stay safe. While the Red Kettle Season looks different this holiday season, but the need is greater now more than ever. Due to the pandemic affecting retail store policies and the decreased in-person shopping, fewer kettles will be out this year. This could dramatically impact The Salvation Army’s ability to meet the soaring demand for assistance. Last year, $126 million was raised nationwide through approximately 30,000 red kettles. Where you do see a red kettle, volunteer bell ringers will be wearing proper face masks and disinfecting the red kettles after every donation. Additionally, to provide further donation opportunities, The Salvation Army has established “virtual kettles” online for each community.
“The work of The Salvation Army is simply not possible without our community’s support, whether it is through financial or in-kind donations or volunteering,” said Major Marcus Jugenheimer, General Secretary of The Massachusetts Salvation Army. “Because we are serving communities that have been hardest hit by the pandemic, it’s no surprise that we are seeing needs that are at an all-time high. We hope our communities will step up again to ensure we can provide support to everyone who needs it, whether it’s a holiday meal, toys for children, utility assistance or support services like child care, educational and job training opportunities, and ongoing food security. Community support during the Red Kettle Season makes our work possible all year long.”
Public events and many in-person celebrity bell ringing opportunities have been cancelled this year; however, support of The Salvation Army has not diminished. On Wednesday, December 9, the non-profit’s annual holiday fundraiser will be held virtually. Videos of support encouraging citizens to “Keep the Bells Ringing” from Governor Baker, Mayor Walsh, Speaker DeLeo, Boston Police Commissioner Gross, Paul Wahlburg, Auditor Bump, Big Papi, Lucky from the Boston Celtics, and many other familiar faces will be featured. Additionally, Boston City Hall and the Zakim Bridge will be lit up red in support of The Salvation Army and the Red Kettle Campaign.
The Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign is a critical source of funding for the vital programs and services that serve hundreds of thousands of children, families and seniors across Massachusetts throughout the year regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or gender orientation. This includes meals, toys and other holiday support for those in need, along with funding for food pantries, soup kitchens, social services, and education programs throughout the year. Since March, The Salvation Army has served more than 13 million meals to our neighbors in need across the Commonwealth, serving every community and anyone who asks for help.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 23 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. In the first-ever listing of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit. For more information, visit SalvationArmyMA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyMA and #DoingTheMostGood.
