As holiday shopping shifts into gear, the Salvation Army is hoping people will remember to drop a few bucks into their kettles.
The Salvation Army's annual Christmas Kettle Campaign kicks off in London this Friday at the Knights game against Kitchener at Budweiser Gardens. It launched nationally on Monday.
Now in its 125th year, the annual holiday campaign seeks donations from the public to help millions of Canadians living in poverty. There will be kettles at 50 locations throughout the city, collecting money for the less fortunate until Christmas Eve. The charity has a local goal of $500,000 and a national goal of $21-million.
"One of the things that the kettles fund is our Christmas hamper program and we anticipate providing more than 5,000 Christmas hampers this year to families and individuals in our community," says Salvation Army spokesman Perron Goodyear. "It also extends into the new year through our community and family services, like our food bank. It serves thousands of families in our community."
With more and more people not carrying cash, the Salvation Army has also created three other ways to give - online at fillthekettle.com, by phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY, or by texting HOPE to 45678 to make a $5 donation.
Every donation to a Christmas Kettle remains in the community in which it was given.
Anyone who would like to staff a kettle can do so by going to londonchristmaskettles.ca and register as a volunteer.
