Giving to the Red Kettle

I rarely pass by a Red Kettle without putting in a gift.

Yesterday I had to run to Publix once more for some things for my grandkids before they headed home. The person at the Red Kettle was Jose. (I love to chat with the people with the kettles.)

Jose is from Cuba, and has not been in this country a long time. Why does he spend hours ringing a bell? Because some people helped him when he was very needy in Cuba. He likes to be able to pass it on to others in need.

The Red Kettle had its start in San Francisco in 1891. Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee was distraught because so many poor individuals in San Francisco were going hungry. He determined to provide Christmas dinner for the poor.But how to pay for it? He remembered from his years in Liverpool, England, a large iron pot at the docks for people to drop a few coins for the poor. Thus the Red Kettle was born—and was so successful that it spread throughout the U.S. and to the world. Everywhere, contributions to Salvation Army kettles enable the organization to continue its year-round efforts at helping those who would otherwise be forgotten.

I love giving to the Red Kettle—and the Salvation Army—because they really do what their slogan says: Doing the Most Good. In the U.S., the Salvation Army assists more than 4.5 million people during the Thanksgiving and Christmas time periods with meals and other needs.

But that’s not all—the Army provides shelters, job training and connections, disaster relief, thrift stores, adult rehab, veterans services, prison ministries, elderly services, children’s services, youth camps, after school programs and more.

All this is done at amazing cost efficiency—almost all of your dollar goes directly to these services.

And it is all motivated by the love of Christ.

So look for the Red Kettle and give a gift! So many will be blessed. Including you!