You may have noticed the iconic red kettles out over Black Friday weekend.
Recently, the Salvation Army of Augusta kicked off its annual campaign at an area business event.
Volunteers are set up outside area stores like Walmart, Sam’s Club, Hobby Lobby, Bass Pro Shop, Food Lion, and others.
Last year’s campaign collected more than $200,000.
“All that money stays here local, and that helps support the Center of Hope, where, over the last three years, we’ve been able to move 400 people from homelessness into housing,” Major Jonathan Raymer, Augusta area Commander, told ABD. “The last year, we’ve been able to help 900 people stay in housing.
Volunteers staffing the kettles range from individuals to nonprofit organizations and community groups. However, an important source of support is from Metro Augusta’s business community. Kettles will be set up through Christmas Eve, leaving time for anyone wishing to volunteer.
“What we’ll do is come up with a day and a location that works for them. We try to make it as easy as possible for corporate groups to give back,” Janelys Villalta, Marketing & Public Relations Manager for the Kroc Center, explained for ABD. “We know a lot of them want to do it together during the workday, and we love that, and we support that. So, we can set them up, and they can do it once. They can do it twice. They can do it all season long if they want to.”
Traditionally, local college alumni chapters challenge each other to see who can raise the most money when they staff the red kettles. Villalta said businesses are welcome to face off against each other.
“We invite all the banks to do a battle of the banks, or the different marketing firms here, to do a battle of which one does the best job promoting the kettle. There are so many ways to make it fun and making a competition, and at the end of the day, you are raising money for your neighbors who are in need,” she said.
In addition to kettles outside large area stores, businesses can also request a tabletop-sized kettle to place in their lobby.
Similar to last year, when the region was recovering from Hurricane Helene, this year, there are people working to get back on their feet after the more than 40-day Federal government shutdown.
Villalta said they receive more than 15 requests every day from families who need shelter in the Center of Hope.
“Obviously, everyone is feeling the impact this year of this economic year, but it’s something that, unfortunately, the people who make the lowest amount of money are facing the brunt of it, and so we’re really asking folks who have that extra money to give,” she said. “It stays here locally. It does not go out to some corporate Salvation Army. It stays right here to help the Salvation Army of Augusta with what we’re doing to help your neighbors.”
Running simultaneously with the Red Kettle Campaign is the Angel Tree program. This year, more than 1,200 children will receive gifts through the program. A list of tree locations is at https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/augusta/angeltree. There is also a link to an online registry to purchase a gift.
To learn more about the Red Kettle Campaign, to volunteer or donate online, go to https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/augusta/
Anyone wishing to volunteer as an individual or a group for the Red Kettle Campaign can also call or text Villalta at (706) 421-3047.
