Record donation to a kettle: $500K from an anonymous donor
Roseville, Minn. – The Salvation Army is celebrating the largest, single donation ever made to a red kettle in the Twin Cities. The donors, a Minnesota couple who wish to remain anonymous, dropped a $500,000 check into a kettle at the Cub Foods in Rosemount on Sat. Nov. 28.
To put it in perspective, the largest single gift in the Twin Cities prior to this one was $25,000, making this gift 20 times larger.
“We are simply stunned and honored to have received such a generous gift,” said Major Jeff Strickler, Twin Cities commander. “This is a true blessing and it could not come at a better time for The Salvation Army and the people we serve.”
The anonymous donors say they made the gift in hopes of encouraging others to give as generously as they can, too.
Also, they wanted to honor one of their fathers, who served in the trenches in World War I, and was always grateful to the Salvation Army Donut Lassies who brought soldiers free coffee and donuts. That simple act of kindness and comfort made a lasting impression and created a family legacy of supporting The Salvation Army.
Plus, when they were a young couple, the donors say money was so tight, they would often rely discarded food from the local grocery store. Today, they can afford to help others in need.
“You get to a point in life where it’s time to take care of others, the way you were taken care of,” the donors said.
The $500,000 donation comes at the perfect time for The Twin Cities Salvation Army. They have set an ambitious, but achievable $11.6 million goal for their Christmas campaign.
So far, The Salvation Army has raised $2.2 million towards that goal, which is comparable to this time last year.
“We invite everyone to please give what they can,” said Strickler. “Every dollar counts, and we only have a month left to meet our goal.”
About The Twin Cities Salvation Army
The Twin Cities Salvation Army is one of the largest providers of Christmas toys in the metro area, making the holiday brighter for 15,000 children. They serve 1,200 hot meals every day, and shelter nearly 900 people each night, providing groceries for 102,000 a year. Join the Salvation Army by volunteering or making a donation to support your local community.