Bells will be ringing this holiday season as the Salvation Army kicks off its annual Red Kettle campaign with 400 donation buckets set up across the Chicago area.
The Salvation Army debuted the kettles Friday with hopes to raise $21 million this year in the Chicago area, most of which would come through this holiday campaign, and be used for year-round services such as food banks, after-school programming and shelters.
For those who do not carry cash, the Salvation Army offers digital donations, with QR codes attached to each red kettle.
This year, the Salvation Army will also test “tap to pay” options on 10 buckets across northern and central Illinois, where donors can give by simply tapping a credit card.
The pandemic, followed by a period of high inflation, led to a sharp decrease in donations. Between 2020 and 2022, donations fell by $1 million each year.
In 2023, the Salvation Army successfully reached its fundraising goal of $18 million.
The Salvation Army is also looking for more volunteers to ring the bell and staff a donation bucket.
