Unveiling The Legacy: The Salvation Army's Red Kettle Drive Journey

You've probably seen the red kettles in front of shopping centers and grocery stores for a few weeks already with cheerful bell ringers nearby. It's always nice to toss in some spare change or a few bills into the kettle. 'Tis the season of giving!

Have you ever wondered what programs the Salvation Army are helping and where your money is going? This may help, but first the history.

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Captain McFee To Nationwide Impact: The Red Kettle Story

Did you knw that the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Drive has been in operation for over 100 years? It's true. In the year 1891, Salvation Army's Captain Joseph McFee wanted help the resident of San Francisco, California with free Christmas dinners to the needy and hungry.

According to SalvationArmy.com, the captain had many sleepless nights wondering how to raise the money and feed the hungry on Christmas Day. He thought back to his childhood where he remembered a kettle called "Simpson's Pot" was being used for donations on a street corner in England.

The idea was born and only 6 years later, over 150,000 people were fed Christmas dinners in a few major cities. Fast forward to todays and every city has the famous red kettles with bell ringers at storefronts. Today in the U.S., The Salvation Army assists more than four-and-a-half million people during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Innovating For Good: Modern Solutions To Support The Red Kettle Drive

If you're like me, I don't always have coins or a few bills when walking into the store. We live in a debit/credit card world and carrying cash is somewhat rare. There are ways you can still help: