Kettle Kickoff raises $90K in Twin Cities
The numbers are in: The Twin Cities Salvation Army raised nearly $90,000 on Saturday during Kettle Kickoff 2015.
“Thank you to everybody who donated,” said Major Jeff Strickler, Twin Cities Salvation Army commander. “Every dollar will stay in the Twin Cities to provide food, housing, youth services and much more to our neighbors in need.”
Volunteer bell ringers came out in droves (see photos). More than 1,000 of them staffed 109 kettles at Cub Foods locations across the Twin Cities metro area and at Mall of America.
“Another year, another outstanding group of volunteer ringers,” Strickler said. “A huge thank you to Cub Foods and Mall of America for inviting us to ring outside their storefronts.”
The successful day also had much to do with our awesome partners and sponsors. Cub Foods provided $15,000 worth of matching funds for kettle donations, while TCF Bank offered a $5,000 match for online donations (you can still give online). On-air personalities from KOOL 108 joined the fun by promoting Kettle Kickoff all day long.
“The incredible efforts of our volunteers, partners, sponsors, and donors punctuated the beginning of what is sure to be a great Christmas season at the kettles,” Strickler said.
The kettle season officially begins the day after Thanksgiving and runs through Christmas Eve. Thousands of volunteers are needed to staff kettles at 500 kettle locations throughout the metro area. Volunteers raise an average of $30 per hour – enough to shelter one homeless person for one night. Sign up to bell ring.
This year’s Christmas Campaign goal is $11.6 million, about $3 million of which will be raised in red kettles. The Christmas Campaign accounts for about a third of the Twin Cities Salvation Army’s yearlong fundraising goal of more than $32 million.