Lebanon’s Kettle Kick-Off
LEBANON (November 14, 2020) — Aiming to “Rescue Christmas” for local community members in need, The Salvation Army of Lebanon kicked off its Red Kettle fundraiser for the 2020 holiday season on Nov. 14 at the Lebanon Farmers Market, as local leaders came together to capture the spirit of the holidays.
State Rep. Frank Ryan, Lebanon Mayor Sherry Capello, and officers of the Salvation Army of Lebanon discussed how donations will be especially important this year in supplying food and other essentials for individuals and families struggling due to the pandemic. Mayor Capello shared, “The Red Kettle campaign is a major source of funding for the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army provides much needed support and guidance to those in need, including struggling families. Unfortunately, this year, funding is even more vital due to the pandemic.”
“Since COVID-19, the needs have increased so much,” said Yolanda Santos, Social Services Coordinator for The Salvation Army Lebanon. “I see the sadness in people’s eyes as they come seeking help. I hear the depression and distress in their voices. So many call me to vent their frustrations. We want them to know that they are not alone.”
“Clients constantly express their gratitude to us for being here and accessible during the pandemic,” Santos added. “They tell me that they don’t know what they would do if we weren’t here to help them get through this.”
The Salvation Army of Lebanon joins other corps across the state and country in collecting both online and in-person donations earlier than normal and providing opportunities to purchase gifts for children to help “Rescue Christmas” for those in need. With the global pandemic causing factors like unemployment and less cash and coins in hand, as well as the increasing popularity of online shopping and closing of brick-and-mortar retail stores, a decrease of up to 50% in red kettle funds is expected this year.
Recognizing the need to help struggling community members, which is greater than ever, the Salvation Army of Lebanon launched Red Kettle Season at the Lebanon Farmer’s Market midday on Nov. 14, complete with classic bell-ringing from its board members and festive refreshments for the community.
“I know that during this time of need, we can count on the Lebanon community to help us bring hope to these people who are struggling to keep it together for themselves and for their families,” said. Lt. Marlon Rodriguez, Corps Officer for The Salvation Army of Lebanon.
Small businesses and churches in Lebanon will join the mission to “Rescue Christmas” this holiday season through the Angel Tree program, allowing participants to request a tag from the Salvation Army of Lebanon or visit a participating business or church to pick up a tag, shop for a specific child in need based on the requested item(s) on the tag, and return the gifts back to The Salvation Army of Lebanon. The Salvation Army will then distribute those gifts to the respective families. Local businesses participating in the Angel Tree program include the Dutch Valley Food Inc., the Lebanon School District and Hershey Medical Hospital, among others.
“We are grateful for the support of our local businesses and churches,” said Lt. Ivonne Rodriguez, Corps Officer of the Salvation Army of Lebanon. “Without their support, we wouldn’t be able to serve the disadvantaged children of our community who deserve Christmas like the rest of us.”
Another variation of the Angel Tree program which will be offered for the Lebanon community is Adopt-a-Family, where participants can choose to “adopt” an entire family and purchase gifts for them, as well as provide groceries for a special Christmas Day Meal. For those who prefer not to shop in stores due to COVID-19, however, they can purchase gifts via the Salvation Army of Lebanon’s Walmart Registry For Good. If they don’t know what to pick from the registry, they can purchase a Walmart Gift Card from the registry, which The Salvation Army staff will use to shop for gifts for the children and families in need.
All collected gifts will be distributed to families in December. With the community’s support, The Salvation Army of Lebanon expects to serve over 600 families/850 children this year, compared to 500 families/680 children who were served last year.
“Today more than ever, we need your help,” said Lt. Rodriguez. “Let's ‘Rescue Christmas’ Together.”
Visit our virtual Red Kettle to help The Salvation Army “Rescue Christmas” for individuals, seniors, and families this holiday season.