The Salvation Army’s Christmas Red Kettle Campaign, now in its 131st year, is struggling to meet its fundraising goal in Hawaii for the 2022 holiday season.
With just four bell-ringing days left before Christmas, donations to The Salvation Army’s Red Kettles in Hawaii currently are at 67% of a $750,000 goal.
Donations to Red Kettles stay in the local communities where they are donated. Bell ringers will be staffing the Red Kettles through Christmas Eve.
The Salvation Army, facing a spike in demand for services because of the combination of rising costs and lingering pandemic-related poverty, increased its campaign goal for Red Kettles by approximately $100,000 over the $650,000 raised during the 2021 holiday season.
Red Kettle fundraising is becoming more difficult each year due to a variety of factors: consumers carry less cash, the closure of many brick-and-mortar retail stores where the Salvation Army would traditionally stand kettles, more online shopping — which means less foot traffic in shopping areas — and particularly for 2022, the effect of inflation.
“Although I’m concerned that early donations have been a bit slow, I remain hopeful we can still make our fundraising goal this year,” said Major Phil Lum, Divisional Commander of The Salvation Army, Hawaiian &Pacific Islands. “Hawaii has a history of supporting The Salvation Army’s efforts to help our most vulnerable neighbors every year. Even as we face increased needs, I believe our community will rally around us again this year.”
To help with donations, The Salvation Army has made it easier and safer than ever to support its work at kettles and online. People can donate in several contactless ways, including online at redkettlehawaii.org.
Online donations also can be made beyond Christmas at hawaii.salvationarmy.org.
If shoppers don’t have cash, those interested in donating can use virtual payment methods at the Red Kettles using Google Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal or Venmo.
People also can use an Amazon Alexa by saying, “Alexa, donate to The Salvation Army,” then specifying the amount.
The Salvation Army also is accepting checks via U.S. mail. A list of local corps can be found at hawaii.salvationarmy.org.
All Foodland and Sack N Save stores in Hawaii are running a checkout program called “Share a Holiday Feast” to help those in need until Sunday, Dec. 31. Customers may donate cash, change or use Maika‘i points.
Donations will be turned into Foodland gift certificates and distributed by The Salvation Army to families where donations were received.
Burger King Hawaii, in partnership with Aloha United Way, also is running a fundraiser where customers can make cash donations at all Burger King Hawaii restaurants through Dec. 31.
The donations will go toward keiki Angel Tree gifts and provide support for those in need throughout the year.
