Salvation Army turns increasingly online to fill red kettles

For nearly 125 years, the Salvation Army’s signature red kettles have been a fixture around Western Washington during the holidays. But with many people doing their giving online or going cashless, the organization is hoping an increased digital effort will help fill the kettles.

“We raise about 60 percent of our annual budget during November and December, so we’ve really had to strategize about how to maximize the money we can bring in this time of year,” says Lora Marini Baker with the Salvation Army Northwest Division.

The Salvation Army has implemented a number of different digital programs to make giving easier, including email solicitations, social media outreach and even a tool for peer-to-peer fundraising with a virtual red kettle, says Marini Baker.

“As people have become more comfortable giving online we are giving people the opportunity donate in the ways most comfortable to them,” she says.

After several years of declining donations because of the economic downturn, giving to the Salvation Army is on the rise again, says Marini Baker. So is the need from the countless families and individuals struggling to survive.

“We are still seeing so many people who need help,” she says. “We’re hopeful that the people who are a little more comfortable with their finances will be able to give a little bit more so the families that come to us for help can come to us for the help they need.”

The Salvation Army provides a variety of services, including basic food and shelter, local programs to help pay for rent and utility bills, after school tutoring, music and athletic programs for kids. Other programs include assistance for veterans and survivors of domestic violence, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs.