The Salvation Army Hits Homestretch for Annual Christmas Kettle Campaign

$9.1 Million Needed to Reach Fundraising Goal

TORONTO, Dec. 18, 2012 /CNW/ - With Christmas only days away, The Salvation Army is calling on Canadians to help fill the kettle. The iconic Christmas Kettles are a familiar sight on street corners, in store fronts, and can even be found online. To date, The Salvation Army has raised $11.9 million dollars through the Kettles, but with a fundraising goal of $21 million, is still $9.1 million short. The Salvation Army will continue accepting donations through Christmas Eve in its kettles.

"Our fundraising has seen the impacts of a struggling economy over the last few years, and the same is true of the 2012 Christmas season," said Graham Moore, Territorial Public Relations and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda. "A large majority of The Salvation Army's fundraising occurs during our Christmas Kettle Campaign, and these donations tend to set the precedent for the upcoming year and The Salvation Army's ability to serve  millions of people in need across Canada."

Donors have a variety of ways to give to The Salvation Army's Christmas Kettle Campaign, which has become one of Canada's largest and most recognizable annual charitable events. In addition to giving to the nearly 2,000 physical kettles that appear on street corners and at retail centres across the country, Canadians can give to those kettles online at www.FilltheKettle.com. Donors can find any of the kettle locations nationwide and give through the use of Google Maps technology, which allows donors to make a secure online donation to a kettle within their community. Supporters of the Army's work are also invited to host their own virtual kettles, http://fillthekettle.com/fundraise-with-your-own-virtual-kettle/, a ready-to-use online tool that allows participants to customize their own kettle webpage and invite others via e-mail and social media to donate in support of the work of The Salvation Army.

"While we may be $9 million away from our goal for this year's Christmas Kettle Campaign, we are incredibly grateful to those who have donated. Every gift makes a huge difference in the life of someone in need," said Moore. "With Christmas a little more than a week away, we know we can continue to count on the incredible generosity of Canadians who have continuously risen to the occasion to help The Salvation Army provide a sense of dignity for vulnerable individuals across the country."

The 2012 Christmas Campaign helps The Salvation Army provide direct, compassionate, hands-on service to more than 1.8 million people in Canada each year, restoring hope and dignity to the most vulnerable in society. The Salvation Army's annual Christmas Campaign has grown into one of Canada's most significant and recognizable annual charitable events. Last year, more than $20 million was raised in Christmas Kettles nationwide. The Salvation Army relies on the support of numerous corporate partners, including Loblaw Companies Limited, Walmart Canada, Costco, BC Liquor Stores, LCBO (in Ontario), Canadian Tire, Cadillac Fairview, Metro, Safeway, Save-on-foods, Sobeys and many more, who allow Christmas Kettles to be placed at their stores each year.

Donations to the 2012 Christmas Campaign can be made at www.SalvationArmy.ca, by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769), at your local kettle, or via mail to The Salvation Army, 2 Overlea Blvd, Toronto, ON M4H 1P4. Donors can also support the 2012 Christmas Campaign by texting HOPE to 45678 from most mobile carriers in Canada. A $5 donation will be added to your monthly mobile bill.

About The Salvation Army:
The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country. For 130 years, The Salvation Army has given hope and support to vulnerable people today and everyday in 400 communities across Canada and more than 120 countries around the world. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, providing shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction. When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.

News releases, articles and updated information can be found at www.SalvationArmy.ca

SOURCE: THE SALVATION ARMY

Andrew Burditt
National Director of Marketing and Communications
The Salvation Army
416-845-8231
[email protected]
www.SalvationArmy.ca