Tuesday, December 16, 2014

#Sponsored #MC What's Your #RedKettleReason?

Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Influence Central for The Salvation Army. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

#DoingTheMostGood
As a little girl, every holiday season, my mother would carefully take a couple of dollars out of her purse, a purse that had a little two-ball closure on top that snapped. I knew when she pulled me to the side, and undid that purse snap, that we were going to donate to the Salvation Army Red Kettle, or the 'bell ringers' (those manning the kettle) as I called them when I was a child.

The bell ringing made me feel happy, and Christmas-y. After all, Santa's reindeer had those bells, right?  She would fold those bills carefully and put them in my little hand. I can still remember the feel of her transferring those bills into my gloved hand (and in Ohio, in December, outside...hands were always gloved). Even though I only had a few steps to go from her to the kettle, I remember how I kept looking down at my hand to ensure I didn't drop those bills. To me, it was a big deal. Then I would drop the money in, it would all be over, and we'd be on our merry way in seconds...the 'bell ringer' instantly all but forgotten.

What I didn't know as a child, is that those donations were being given to help others who really needed it during the holiday season. As I grew older, and developed a heart for giving, those donations took on a deeper meaning. I realized there were people behind the scenes that we would never meet or talk to, but who needed the helping hand of a stranger.



Today, I've passed the tradition of giving on to my own children. While I don't have a double ball-snap purse, and the kettle at the store pictured above was inside (hurrah for staying out of the elements!), it's still a big deal to my youngest to drop money in the kettle. I wonder if the clanging bell makes him feel holiday-y and festive like it did for me? I bet it does. And since the Salvation Army has been around since 1865, there's a very good chance, he will someday be taking his child/ren up to the kettle as well. That's fine by me. I think it's a tradition well worth keeping around. Don't you?

The Salvation Army Doing the Most Good

The Salvation Army began in London, and twenty years later made its way to the United States. So for 150 years internationally, and 130 years local-to-me, the Salvation Army has been giving people a hand-up. Whether that hand-up takes place in the form of gifts, paid utilities, a hot meal or countless other ways, the altruistic nature of their assistance certainly deserves to be lauded.

Just a Few of Many Ways the Salvation Army is Helping

• In 2013, The Salvation Army’s 3,600 officers, 59,000 employees and 3.4 million volunteers served nearly 30 million Americans in need. That’s almost one person, every second, every day.
• The Salvation Army’s faith-based mission calls it to meet human needs in His name without discrimination, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, physical disability, age, creed or religion. 
• The Army has nearly 7,600 centers of operation covering nearly every zip code in the country.
• We also have a worldwide presence, providing assistance to people in more than 120 countries and territories around the world. The Salvation Army serves millions of people through dozens of services directly targeting the needs of local communities – from homelessness to disaster relief to substance abuse rehabilitation.
• Through the public’s generosity in 2013, in the United States alone:
o The Salvation Army served more than 58 million meals to the needy.
o 204,000 people received rehabilitation services through donations to Family Stores.
o Over 203,000 underprivileged children attended day care and summer day camps.
o The Army provided nearly 10 million nights of shelter.
o 324,000 people received help during times of disaster.
o More than 4 million families and children were served during the holidays.
o More than 1.8 million people received help through senior, medical and institutional services.

That's just a small list of the ways the Salvation Army has helped, does help, & will continue to help those in need. It gives you even more reason to want to drop a few dollars in the red kettle when you're passing by, doesn't it?

Note: One-third of online donations occur during the last two days of the year. Donors can benefit when it comes to their taxes if they donate to a charity and receive the proper documentation before January 1.


#RedKettleReason Campaign

The Salvation Army’s 124th National Red Kettle campaign is encouraging Americans to share their reasons for giving using the #RedKettleReason hashtag. Donors who post using #RedKettleReason can view their posts and others on RedKettleReason.org and learn why the rest of America is giving. Visit RED KETTLE REASON to learn more!


I'm headed over to post my reason now. I'll see ya' there. :)

66 comments:

  1. It's good that we all have those charities that we support. It makes the season far better for so many.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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  2. They do such wonderful things. The Red Kettle is part of our traditions.

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  3. We always give. My blogger friend Roland and his mother were saved by the kindness of the Salvation Army.

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  4. It's nice to know how Salvation Army has been helping. We donate money anytime we see the Salvation Army Red Kettle.

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  5. It's not the same without the Red Kettle! I definitely have my kids participate every season

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  6. That is so nice what they are doing!! We donate to them every year!

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  7. I always try to donate when I see a red kettle, but it i important to support the organization with material and monetary donations throughout the year, too!

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  8. They sure help indeed and one well worth giving to.

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  9. When I was in NYC a few weeks ago, all the volunteers out there ringing the bell were singing Christmas carols. It was awesome because none of them up here do that.

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  10. My little guy made his first red kettle donation the other day :)

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  11. Supporting charities in one way or another is great, and teaching our children to do the same is an even better thing.

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  12. I distinctly remember those red kettles and the bell ringers from when I was a child. For some reason this year I haven't seen as many of them around-But whenever I do I always drop something in there. There are so many who need help and the Salvation Army has always been there for them for as long as I can remember.

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  13. I love that this organization gives the money to the people that need it the most. The person that started it only makes $40,000 a year.

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  14. I contribute to the 'Sallies' over here as well. A tradition started by my mother. She was buried under her home after it was bombed in the last war and said that the Salvation Army were the first people she saw when she was finally (three days later) dragged out.

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  15. We save up our change all year long just to be able to put some in each and every kettle we encounter during the holiday season!

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  16. That's so interesting that the last 2 days of the year bring on a rush of donations. I guess that makes sense! I always give to the red kettle!

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  17. It is a Christmas automatic connection to see the red kettles. We do give to hopefully give others hope and smiles

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  18. My family have always had a member working at the Salvation Army, they are fantastic. I'm raising my boys to think of others and be charitable.

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  19. We like to donate used toys and clothing. I teach my girls to treat their belonging with respect so we can pass it on as they outgrow it.

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  20. We haves men's shelter near us that we donate to every year. We also put money in the Red Kettle

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  21. Never heard of the red kettle before, but we do give to many charities, even more at this time of the year...

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  22. Salvation army is putting people to work. I used to attend their auctions where they would employ those who have been caught up in drugs and needed a helping hand.

    Though what is interesting today is that the original founder started the organization as a way to reach out to those people who needed "salvation" He had a vision of a ship going down, and people dying in the ocean. Some were saved, and watching from onshore. His vision then showed people having tea on the beach, and watching these people drown, and they didn't get up and weren't affected by it. Meaning his vision showed people going to hell, which sparked this idea of selling things to fund a Christian ministry. Today, the company does a lot of good, but reaching out to the lost no longer is it's full time mission. We pray and support them, but really love what the company was founded upon.

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  23. I always drop my spare change in the red bucket as I walk by. My son in law volunteers as an interpreter for the Salvation Army.

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  24. I really love the example that we are showing our kids every chance we have an opportunity to give.

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  25. The Salvation Army is such a wonderful charity! I make sure to have money to donate to the many kettles I come across during the holiday season.

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  26. The Salvation Army is one charity I always give to. They have done so much for my community after we had a tornado.

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  27. I always stop and donate when I see them. They remind me of Christmas for sure.

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  28. We all should try to help others if we are able to. Sometimes I'm not able to make large donations to some of my favorite charities but we all have pocket change or loose bills {mad money} in our handbag to put in the red kettle. No reason other than it's what's right.

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  29. I love that we're inspired to think about why we want to give. Everyone has their own special reason and it makes it very unique.

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  30. I think this is such a lovely way to give and what a tradition to pass on - I'm going to see if they do this over here as well. x

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  31. I love Salvation Army, we donate to them frequently - I love what they stand for.

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  32. I always give each of my 4 kids some money to put in the kettle when we're at the stores and they love it. I appreciate their eagerness, and also knowing that the money is going to an amazing organization.

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  33. This is in support of a good cause. Thanks or the reminder to give and the history info. I did not know they started in London.

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  34. The Salvation Army helped my family through Christmas once when I was a girl. I remember every year thereafter, my mom would always insist on giving back to those red kettles. My girls get excited to see the bell ringers too. They love putting money in those Red Kettles!

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  35. Giving is the reason for the season. Love this campaign! Amber N

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  36. This is so great! My boys still love to take their monies for donation ~ the problem I think people have is they (including me) don't carry cash anymore. We were at Walmart each day for the past week for something needed (unlucky me!) but each day we were able to contribute some <3

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  37. This is such a great campaign. We always donate when we go to the store.

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  38. We always give our spare change. It's the least I can do when walking by the little red bucket. My kids love dropping change in too!

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  39. I love salvation army! They do such great work!

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  40. The Salvation Army does such great work, especially around the holidays. I know many families benefit from their generosity.

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  41. Salvation Army is a great charity and we give to them every year. It is also one that kids can visibly see people contributing to and get a little bit better understanding.

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  42. The Salvation Army is one charity I will always support. They really helped my fiance when he first came to Ireland.

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  43. Our neighbor across the street is a pastor for the Salvation Army and his wife works in the store. My mom and I volunteered on their food truck one summer and it changed my life.

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  44. I always donate when i see a Salvation Army red kettle. Salvation Army helps so many people. When my friend had a house fire they were there to help in any way they could.

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  45. The Salvation Army help our community in so many ways. I always donate when i can.

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  46. A guy in Miami threw in a $1,500 gold coin at our local Walmart's Salvation Army bucket. It was all over the news and made me smile :)

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  47. It warms my heart to see all the good that Salvation Army is doing for those in need.

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  48. I always love to hear how someone created a supper for $5 and then I did the same for half tat much and it's so much better.

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  49. I rang the bell one year...
    It does your heart good to see people giving...

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  50. I give to the red bucket. I think if more people really understood what their money was going for they might be more inclined to give.

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  51. We love donating to the Salvation Army each Christmas. It is our family tradition. We give both money and presents. My teen even helped volunteer to ring the bell at the mall.

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  52. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful post about the Salvation Army! They do such important work throughout the year!

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  53. Thanks for sharing what's behind the Red Kettle. It's great to know what awesome things The Salvation Army is doing!

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  54. It's a very good tradition to have! I love that so many are in the spirit of giving! Being able to help those in needs is so rewarding.

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  55. The Salvation Army is a truly amazing organization. Love what all they have done and what they continue to do. Thanks for sharing.

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  56. The Salvation Army is such a great organization. We have been seeing the red kettles all around our town!

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  57. The Salvation Army is amazing and is everywhere. I'm right now in the Caribbean and they have the Red Kettle here as well. I gave a few weeks ago to my Red Kettle at the mall.

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  58. My kids always give when we see the red buckets! I didn't know must of this baout them.

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  59. How sweet of him donating <3 The Salvation does a great job every year doing this :)

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  60. I never realized they were a faith based organization and reading other people's comments I didn't realize how much they actually help people. I will definitely start giving what I can now instead of avoiding the people with the bell. Thank you for the food for thought!

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  61. My girls have always wanted to put money in the kettle. It is one of our traditions during the holiday season.

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  62. we try to give each time we are at the store. it teaches my kids a lot. such a great program

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  63. Salvation Army has done a great job with their brand imaging over the years around the holidays. I know Christmas is near when I see those Red Kettles!

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  64. What a great memory that you have. I always try to give when I am out and I see them.

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  65. What a wondeful memory to share! I always put my change in the red kettle, or let the kids do it if they are with me. I hope they will remember that!

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  66. The Salvation Army is one of my favorites. We have a number of bags headed their way this week!

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