by Lori Shevokas

Created on: November 11, 2009   Last Updated: November 12, 2009

The Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign

Every year, around the week of Thanksgiving, The Salvation Army Red Kettle stands pop up everywhere. They are outside the door at the grocery store, they are at the mall, and they are even at both doors of the local Wal-Mart stores. There is usually a cheerful person standing next to the kettle stand ringing bells and wishing all a "Merry Christmas." Do you know where that money goes? Do you even know what The Salvation Army does?

At least $0.85 out of every dollar collected during the Red Kettle Campaign goes right back into the local community in which it was collected. In larger cities where there are several Salvation Army Corps assigned, each to a different region of the city, this means that money benefits that side of town respectively. The money collected helps with local business partnerships where The Salvation Army pays a portion and local businesses have some sort of matching program. This helps the community because then The Salvation Army is able to provide rent and utility assistance.

The money collected at Christmas time also helps to offset the cost of summer camps. The Salvation Army is able to send many inner city and low income youth to a week of summer camp for less than $20 per child (in most areas) because the money collected has already taken care of the cost to run the camp. Children who might have stayed home, sitting in front of the television, or even worse, running around the neighborhood looking for trouble, now have an option to attend a summer camp where they might learn sports, art, drama, or music. They have an opportunity to do things they may never have done previously, such as horse back riding, swimming, or canoing. Underprivileged youth will have doors opened to them when money is dropped into The Salvation Army Red Kettle.

Other opportunities afforded youth at various Salvation Army locations include the Guarding and Adventure Corps programs. The Salvation Army has its own scouting programs. The individual Corps absorb the primary cost, providing manuals, uniforms, and badges for the youth enrolled.

The Pre-K and Kindergarten level is called Moonbeams. Moonbeams teaches awareness of oneself, one's neighbors, and the world, while reinforcing Christian principles. The Boys Adventure Corps breaks into Explorers (up to fourth grade) and Rangers (fifth grade and beyond.) The younger girls become Sunbeams (up to fifth grade) and the older girls become Girl Guards (sixth grade and beyond.)

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