The Salvation Army has officially kicked off its Christmas Campaign with the annual Red Kettle Kick-Off event. In Elkhart County, the organization aims to raise $695,000 to go toward providing food, shelter, and critical services to those in need. Ron Sherck is the development director for the Elkhart Salvation Army. He says the donations aren’t just for the holiday season.
“The campaign funds all the various services that we provide,” Sherck said, “not just at Christmas. Sometimes there's a misunderstanding about that. Certainly it covers the need at Christmas, which tends to be one of our highest times of the year for requests for assistance. The funds we raise during this time, we hope will be able to help fund us all the way through the year.”
With more people using debit and credit cards instead of cash, the Salvation Army has made it easier to donate. All kettles feature QR codes for online donations, and some kettles will even have tap devices for people to donate on the spot with their debit cards. Sherck says they are looking for more volunteers.
“The need for volunteers is great,” Sherck said, “and it is very evident that we receive a lot more donations at a site where there is an individual standing there with a smile on their face and a bell in their hand versus a kettle that's just there by itself.”
People interested in volunteering can go to registertoring.org for more information.
