Bell ringers, kettle donations critically short
Written by Julie Borgen, Twin Cities media relations director for The Salvation Army Northern Division.
Roseville, Minn. – The Twin Cities Salvation Army is in dire need of volunteer bell ringers and red kettle donations to meet its Christmas fundraising goal.
The Army has 2,000 fewer volunteer bell ringers than this time last year, the lowest number in three years.
Donations to red kettles are down $200,000 compared to 2015, with just 12 days of bell ringing left in the season.
“This is a critical time for The Salvation Army,” said Lt. Col. Lonneal Richardson, leader of The Salvation Army Northern Division. “If we don’t make our goals, we risk needing to cut programs that serve the people in our community.”
To make it easy for people to sign up as volunteers, The Salvation Army is staffing its bell ringing hotline extra hours this week, Monday through Thursday. You can sign up by calling 651-746-3519 from 8 a.m.- 8 p.m. (normal hours are 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.).
Or, register to ring anytime online at SalvationArmyNorth.org/ring.
Kettle shifts are available Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m., through Christmas Eve.
The Twin Cities Salvation Army hopes to raise $11.6 million during Christmas this year, with nearly $3 million of that coming from red kettles.
Please join The Salvation Army by being a volunteer bell ringer, or making a donation to support your local community.