The Salvation Army’s local Red Kettle Campaign is back home and still seeking the generosity of Stark County.
The Alliance, Canton and Massillon chapters said collections are 50% short of the campaign’s Dec. 24 goal of $370,000, and more volunteer bell ringers are needed to reach Christmas Eve.
Capt. Brenner Hinzman, commander of the Massillon Salvation Army, said volunteers are “essential” to the campaign, and people interested in being a whistleblower can sign up at RegistertoRing.com.
“We love our local communities in Stark County and hope they will support our Red Kettles in the final days of our campaign so we can continue to support our friends and neighbors in need all year long,” Hinzman said.
The Salvation Army operates food panties, provides rent and utility assistance, offers life skills programs for adults and children, distributes school supplies, and has many other programs for families or individuals going through tough times.
“The need has never been greater within Alliance,” said Maj. Tara Harrison of the Alliance Salvation Army. “We are seeing more applications for support this Christmas season than we have seen in recent years.”
Holiday help: ‘The need is great’: Many more Stark families are seeking Christmas help
Harrison said her unit will serve more than 650 children this holiday season — an increase of more than 100 from 2023.
If you are unable to go to a Red Kettle location or donate online, donations can be mailed to a local Salvation Army chapter at:
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57 W. Main St., PO Box 2780, Alliance OH 44601
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420 Market Ave. S, PO Box 20249, Canton OH 44701
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315 Sixth St. NE, PO Box 276, Massillon OH 44648
“There are so many people who make ends meet year-round, but the ‘extras’ at Christmas are just a little bit beyond their reach, and that’s where we step in,” said Maj. Jody Kramer, co-commander of the Canton Salvation Army.
For more information about the Stark County chapters, visit SalvationArmyOhio.org or call 216-861-8185.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign is struggling in Stark County
