Why I Put Money In That Little Red Kettle

It’s a classic holiday scene: Volunteers ringing bells — and sometimes singing and dancing with jingle bells and Santa hats — alongside their red kettles on city street corners or outsides storefronts.

Shoppers across the country and in many countries around the world, are likely to pass such Salvation Army-sponsored acts of kindness this Christmas season. They might throw a dollar in the pot and wonder who benefits from the donation — or how much of the money actually goes to helping out the needy.

I am someone that whenever I pass a bell ringer, I reach into my wallet and drop a couple dollars in the kettle. I feel that giving back is such an important thing to do, especially during the holiday season.

The Red Kettle Campaign

The first red kettle was set up in 1891 by Salvation Army Capt. Joseph McFee. He was determined to put together a holiday meal for the hungry in his home city of San Francisco. In order to fund the project, he set up a pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing with a sign that read: “Keep the Pot Boiling.”

The Red Kettle Campaign, which begins on Thanksgiving Day and runs through Christmas Eve, is the largest and longest-running fundraiser of its kind. It raised $142.7 million during the 2018 campaign. In 2019, their goal is to raise over $150 million.

The Salvation Army helps more than 23 million Americans each year overcome poverty, addiction and economic hardships through a range of social services. They provide 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.

The Bell Ringers

We’ve all seen them. The bell ringers who stand outside in the cold collecting donations. Who are they? The mass majority of the bell ringers are volunteers. Volunteers can sign up for 2 hour shifts and ring their little hearts out. Men, women, children, young adults, Boy/Girl Scout groups, really anyone can be a volunteer to be a bell ringer.

There is a slim percentage of people that can apply to receive minimum wage. You do have to apply, and the Salvation Army has strict guidelines about this. They do offer some compensation to unemployed who apply, as well as people who are recovering from addictions. They strive to help people who may not have enough means during the holiday season.

However the Salvation Army always relies on their volunteers and are always looking for more and more volunteers. This is something I want to make sure I can do this next holiday season.

The gold coins

A tradition has developed in the US where, in some places, gold coins are anonymously dropped into the red kettles. It is said that the tradition started in the Midwest when the first known drop of a gold coin was put into a kettle in Crystal Lake, IL in 1982.

Since this drop, many others have taken to dropping not only gold coins, but also other bullion and rare coins, gold medals, jewelry, and large checks.

The most recent gold coin find was in last week in Noblesville, Indiana. A bell ringer exclaimed that a gold coin was dropped into his kettle during his shift. The gold coin was worth $1,500.

This is just such a cool thing that has caught on over the years. It shows that there are still good people in the world, and the fact that they are all anonymous makes my heart even warmer.

How can you donate?

• Drop money into any of the thousands of red kettles at partner storefront locations.
• Don’t have cash? No worries, will now be able to use digital payment systems including Apple Pay and Google Pay. Just scan your phone on the “Red Kettle” signs displaying smart chips and QR codes.
• Ask Amazon Alexa by saying, “Alexa, donate to The Salvation Army,” then specify the amount.
• Give any amount by texting “KETTLES” to 91999.
• Donate your time at serving at your local Salvation Army.
• Donate clothes and items to help those in need.

So next time you see the jolly old man ringing his bell wishing you a Merry Christmas, take a moment to pause and think about throwing a dollar or two in his red kettle now that you know the cause behind it.

Merry Christmas!

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