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West Palm Beach, Florida – The
Salvation Army in Palm Beach County announces the
launch of its annual Christmas Campaign to help
raise money for the poor, homeless, and others in
need who often remain overlooked during the holidays
and year-round.
This year’s campaign theme, “The Time Is
Now,” draws attention to The Salvation Army’s urgent
need for the public’s support in the wake of our
country’s continuing economic crisis — and the
growing numbers of families coming to The Salvation
Army for help. Many families are requesting
assistance for the first time. These “new poor” are
struggling to make ends meet in this economy, and
they desperately need help.
The time-honored Christmas Campaign will
include traditional fundraising methods such as
direct mail —
in addition to the highly visible Red Kettles, a
holiday tradition that has served as a symbol of
good will for more than 100 years.
Locally, The Salvation Army of Palm Beach
County hopes to raise necessary funds to help
sustain vital programs and services which help the
needy in their daily struggle for survival.
“The economy has made it a rough year for
many families, and we’ve seen it firsthand in the
numbers of people coming to us for help,” said Major
Thomas McWilliams, Area Commander. “It’s especially
hard during the holiday season, with people losing
their jobs, their homes and not knowing how they
will provide for their families. That’s when The
Salvation Army steps in to help. But to keep pace
with the need, we must rely on generous people in
our community to open their hearts with a donation
to help their struggling neighbors.”
This holiday season is expected to be one of
the busiest yet. Salvation Army officials stress
that any contribution will help — and donations of
time are accepted as gratefully as donations of
money.
“Reaching out to those in need by
volunteering to ring bells or serving warm meals is
a wonderful way to connect with the community, to
give back, and to share blessings and holiday joy,”
said Major McWilliams. To volunteer or contribute
this Christmas season, call 561-686-3530 or log onto
the local website
www.salvationarmypalmbeachcounty.org
to gather further information.
About The Salvation Army:
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the
universal Christian church, has been supporting
those in need in His name without discrimination
since 1865. Over 31 million Americans receive
assistance from The Salvation Army each year through
the broadest array of social services that range
from providing food for the hungry, relief for
disaster victims, assistance for the disabled,
outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and
shelter to the homeless and opportunities for
underprivileged children. About 83 cents of every
dollar raised is used to support those services in
more than 5,000 communities nationwide.
About the Red Kettle Campaign:
From its humble beginnings as a fundraiser started
by a Salvation Army captain in San Francisco in
1891, the Red Kettle Campaign has grown into one of
the most recognizable and important charitable
campaigns in the United States. More than 25,000
Salvation Army volunteers fan out across the country
to ring bells and solicit spare change donations to
the iconic red kettles from holiday shoppers.
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