The Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign

Where the concept originated that has brought relief to Americans for 120 years

by R. Douglass Mahaffey

The Salvation Army is looking for volunteers this holiday season to serve as bell ringers for its annual fund-raiser, as patrons at busy department stores and grocery stores participate in the organization’s most needy time of the year. 

The annual fund-raiser starts in November on Black Friday, and ends December 24 (Christmas Eve). 

Volunteers from church groups, youth groups, athletes, cheerleaders, Sunday school classes, businesses and individuals volunteer all over America to ring the bell for the Salvation Army. 

The bell ringers have been a steady mainstay at retail stores and shopping malls in America for over 100 years. The tradition began in 1891 when Captain Joseph McFee, a sailor from Liverpool, England, wanted to feed the poor at Christmas time. 

He recalled seeing a red kettle on the docks, called “Simpson’s Pot,” when he was a young sailor. People would toss coins into the kettle to raise money to feed the poor. He set a red kettle out  at the Oakland Ferry Landing in San Francisco with a sign that read, “Keep the pot boiling.”

McFee was able to raise the money needed to feed the poor that Christmas. News of the successful fund-raiser spread so far that in 1897, enough money was raised to feed 150,000 people for Christmas. In 1901 he raised enough to hold a sit down dinner at New York City’s Madison Square Garden for Christmas. 

Today, money collected in the red Salvation Army kettles is used to help the needy, the sick, the aged and other less fortunate, especially during the holiday season from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

Every dollar raised is donated to community charities in the towns in which the money is collected. Money is given to help food banks, low-budget community clinics, assistance with utilities or housing. Every dollar donated counts. 

     This year, I have seen people singing at the red kettle, dancing, playing a trumpet, all the way to cheer leading to attract patrons to donate loose change to a few dollars as they pass the volunteers. 

I have volunteered twice this year at the Walmart in my community. They desperately need people to step up and donate their time, their smile and their Christmas cheer to continue the effort that Captain Joseph McFee began over 120 years ago. There is still time to volunteer by going to the Salvation Army's website at http://www.salvationarmy-usa.org/usn/volunteer.

R. Douglass Mahaffey - Founder and Publisher of The Wise Conservative.