The Salvation Army Urges Supporters to Help Close Gap in Donations to Struggling Red Kettle Campaign

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With just two days left of the Red Kettle campaign, The Salvation Army, which serves more than 25 million Americans each year, is urging supporters to donate to the Red Kettles in person or online as soon as possible. A surprise uptick in awareness and regional contributions was spurred by Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott's "Red Kettle Leap" last Sunday, but some areas of the country are reporting steep declines in contributions as fluctuating temperatures and snowy conditions are putting the organization's largest fundraising campaign of the year at risk of a shortfall.

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"We're so grateful for those who have supported us throughout the campaign, and the attention we have received over the past week has certainly helped our donation numbers," said Lt. Col. Ron Busroe, community relations and development secretary for The Salvation Army. "However, major cities across the country are not out of the woods yet and the Red Kettles on the streets and online at redkettlereason.org need support. Funds from the campaign help these areas all year long, and the decrease in donations puts programming like shelter, meal assistance and more in jeopardy in the coming year."

Divisions in the Midwest are facing the greatest need for donations:

• Indianapolis, IN is down 17%
• Chicago, IL is down 23%
• St. Louis, MO is down 16%
• Minneapolis, MN is down 33%

The Red Kettle campaign ends on Christmas Eve. To donate, Americans can:

• Donate online at RedKettleReason.org
• Start a #RedKettleReason fundraising page by visiting RedKettleReason.org and clicking "Start a Fundraiser" – users will be asked to specify the community for which they want to raise funds, fundraising goal and designated cause to support
• Drop change into one of the more than 25,000 Red Kettles found at storefronts and street corners nationwide
• Text the word "KETTLES" to 51555 to donate an amount of their choice

The Salvation Army is located in every ZIP code in the country, and the real impact of a shortfall will hit at the local level. All donations stay within the community in which they are raised, and every amount helps.

• Just $25 helps give a child Christmas gifts
• $2.70 provides a meal for someone in need
• $30 will help provide a night of shelter for someone in need

During the holiday season, over 3 million families rely on The Salvation Army to provide them with a warm meal on Christmas Day or toys for their children. Donating to the Red Kettles also allows the Army to serve more than 25 million people a year by providing over 10 million nights of shelter and 57 million meals a year, along with substance abuse recovery programs, after-school programs, and emergency shelter for children and families in need.

Visit SalvationArmyUSA.org to learn more and find a Salvation Army near you.

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 135 years in the United States. More than 25 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a range of social services: food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless, and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar donated to The Salvation Army is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. The Salvation Army tracks the level of need across the country with the Human Needs Index (HumanNeedsIndex.org). For more information, go to SalvationArmyUSA.org or follow @SalvationArmyUS on Twitter.

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SOURCE The Salvation Army