Watch Rock the Red Kettle Concert LIVE Stream Here
For those of you who aren’t in the vicinity of Glendale, CA, we’re bringing Glendale to you. We’re streaming The Salvation Army’s inaugural Rock the Red Kettle Concert LIVE, starting tonight at 7pm PST/10pmEST.
The great thing about tuning in via live stream is it’s easy for young philanthropists to be involved! If you want to help bands like Honor Society, Ashlyne Huff, and New Hollow support our cause, you can simply click to donate while watching the show or use your phone to donate $10 by texting the word “GIVE” to 85944.
Enjoy the show tonight, and join the conversation below to let us know what you think:
Blizzard Forces Stop to Red Kettle Campaign for First Time in Minnesota History
Blizzard conditions have wreaked havoc across the Midwest since this weekend. By all indications, it’s BAD.
So bad that for the first time in history, The Salvation Army’s Northern Division has had to cancel bell ringing and pull Red Kettles from the streets and store fronts!
The unprecedented event even made the top headline on the national news website Drudge Report.
[Front page of Drudge Report]
The Northern Division, which covers Minnesota and North Dakota, is concerned the blizzard will put them significantly behind in fundraising, and they expect to be short $500,000 in the Twin Cities alone.
The loss of these funds will directly affect the work of The Salvation Army’s feeding programs, food pantries, homeless shelters and the countless other services they provide in Minnesota and North Dakota.
If you’d like to help The Salvation Army beat this blizzard, go to http://www.thesalarmy.org/cont/donate.htm to learn how to donate to The Salvation Army’s efforts in the Twin Cities and all across the country.
Thanks for your help!
Help Us Thank Our Amazing Partners!
If you’ve started to tackle your Christmas shopping, you’ve probably noticed our Salvation Army red kettles are out in full force. There’s going to be around 25,000 workers and volunteers this season collecting donations in front of your favorite stores.
This iconic tradition and vital fundraiser started in 1891 in San Francisco would not be the same without the generous support of the businesses who welcome Salvation Army bell ringers and kettles outside their doors.
Have you noticed that everyone you know recognizes a Salvation Army bell ringer and kettle? That’s because thanks to these businesses kindly sharing their space with us, we’ve been able to significantly raise awareness of need in your local community and our efforts to serve that need.
In fact, this broad visibility has contributed to The Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign being known as one of the most enduring and recognizable fundraising campaigns ever.
As if that weren’t enough, many of these stores even match kettle donations or contribute their own!
Here at The Salvation Army we want to offer a huge THANK YOU to all the stores who welcome our red kettles. Thank you for believing in our cause and giving us the opportunity. We’re proud to partner with you in serving our communities.
Next time you see a kettle outside a store, we encourage you to let the business know how much you appreciate their support of The Salvation Army. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them!
Below is a list of our national store partners. This list is not exhaustive, as there are many more regional and local businesses who participate in our Red Kettle Campaign as well:
* Big Lots
* Bloomingdale’s
* Hobby Lobby
* JCPenney
* Kroger
* Macy’s
* Sam’s Club
* Simon Malls
* Walgreens
* WalMart
Get Ready To Rock the Red Kettle with These Rock Bands
The Salvation Army has a lot going on at Christmas time, but this year we’re trying something completely new, and we have a feeling that it’s going to be awesome.
It’s our inaugural Rock the Red Kettle Concert, happening in only one week!
On Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 7pm PST at The Americana at Brand Shopping Center in Glendale, CA, the hottest new young rock bands are going to perform together for this FREE concert open to the public. We’ll stream the whole thing LIVE from www.ustream.tv/rocktheredkettle so you can even watch from your computer.
The hit lineup includes:
With this concert we want to reach and inspire a younger generation of philanthropists.
Plenty of kids, tweens, and teens are looking for opportunities to make a difference and get behind a worthy cause, so with the help of these bands, The Salvation Army is going to show them how to do it.
In between songs and sets, the audience will get to know more about the good the Army does and how the technology they use everyday can be tied in to support our mission. We’ve got everything from online red kettles, a Text to Give initiative, an iPhone bellringer app, and Facebook and Twitter pages ready to be harnessed by the tech saavy teenage masses!
Check back with our blog next Wednesday when we’ll post the live streaming video.
It’s guaranteed to be a rockin’ good time. You won’t want to miss this!
The Story of the Red Kettle
We’re officially in the Christmas season, and chances are you’ve seen or will soon see our Salvation Army Red Kettles and bell ringers while you’re out and about.
Our Red Kettles have become a holiday icon – just ask anybody about them and they’ll know what you’re talking about. But do you know how this tradition started?
Today I thought it would be helpful to share the history of The Salvation Army’s Christmas Red Kettle Campaign to give you a deeper understanding of the heart behind this century-old tradition. Here goes:
In San Francisco during December of 1891, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner to the area’s poor, but he had no way to pay for all that food from his own pocket. So the question remained, how would he do it?
His thoughts went back to his days as a sailor in Liverpool, England. On the Stage Landing he saw a large iron kettle called “Simpson’s pot” into which passers-by dropped charitable donations.
The next day he received permission to place a similar kettle at the Oakland ferry landing. No time was lost in securing the pot and placing it in a conspicuous position, so that it could be seen by all those going to and from the ferry boats. Beside it he placed a sign that read, “Keep the Pot Boiling.” Word spread of his endeavor and he quickly raised the funds to feed 1,000 of the city’s poorest individuals on Christmas day! But he didn’t end it there.
By 1985 the kettle was used in 30 Salvation Army locations along the West Coast, and shortly after they spread to the East Coast. In 1897, the kettle fundraising campaign in Boston and other cities helped pay for 150,000 Christmas dinners for the needy.
Thus, Captain McFee launched a tradition that has spread not only throughout the United States, but throughout the world.
Today, donations raised through our Christmas Red Kettle Campaign fund a vast range of Salvation Army programs and services that serve 30 million Americans year round.
So remember, when you’re dropping a donation in to a Red Kettle, you’re continuing a long standing tradition, but most importantly, you’re making it possible for The Salvation Army to continue to serve the those most in need.
Tomorrow: Red Kettle Kickoff, LIVE from Cowboys Stadium!
[Keith Urban]
Keith Urban will perform for The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Kickoff during the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day game halftime show. Game airs LIVE at 3:15CT/4:15ET on FOX.
Tomorrow’s the big day. Yes, Thanksgiving, but also…
The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Kickoff! The event marks the official launch of our Christmas fundraising campaign, and as always, we’re doing it up BIG!
We’re teaming up with the Dallas Cowboys (marking 14 years of partnership)to bring you an amazing halftime show during their Thanksgiving Day game versus the New Orleans Saints. Three-time Grammy Award winner Keith Urban will be the featured performer, rocking the stadium out with hits from his new album.
The Cowboys Game and Kettle Kickoff Halftime Show will air LIVE on FOX at 3:15CT/4:15ET.
So whether you’re gearing up for or winding down from your turkey dinner, be sure to tune in!
A scene from the 2009 Red Kettle Kickoff with Daughtry.
As part of the campaign, more than 25,000 Salvation Army workers and volunteers across the country will ring bells and collect donations for people in need with our iconic red kettles. Over the years your generous contributions have helped us serve 30 million Americans each year, and last year you outdid yourselves – giving a record $139 million to our Red Kettle Campaign! Maybe this year we can surpass that too…but we’ll worry about breaking records later.
For now, enjoy your Thanksgiving, and enjoy the halftime show! We hope it will become a part of your family’s annual turkey day traditions.
Tune In: Kettle Kickoff Interview Btwn Dallas Cowboys’ Jerry Jones and Our National Commander
The Salvation Army officially kicks off our annual Christmas Red Kettle Campaign this Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, with the help of the Dallas Cowboys!
We’re pumped. The fun will start early in the morning with a LIVE interview from Cowboys stadium between team owner Jerry Jones and Salvation Army National Commander William Roberts.
You can tune in as they discuss the Christmas Kettle Kickoff and how donations raised during the holiday season will help meet needs in your local community all year long. Find your city and local affiliate on the chart below for air times:
Later that day, country music star Keith Urban will celebrate our Red Kettle Kickoff with an awesome performance during the Dallas Cowboys halftime show. The game and show will be nationally televised LIVE by FOX at 3:15 CT/4:15ET, so be sure to tune in!
Dallas Cowboys Bring Early Thanksgiving to Homeless
The Dallas Cowboys took a timeout from practice this week to observe one of their favorite traditions – serving food at their local Salvation Army homeless shelter.
More than 200 Salvation Army clients felt like they scored big when they got an early Thanksgiving dinner served by their home town heroes.
Don’t forget, you can see another great annual Cowboys/Salvation Army tradition next week. Tune in to the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day game on FOX to see our Red Kettle Kickoff halftime show with Keith Urban!
Our Red Kettles are even on CNN
The Salvation Army’s Major George Hood, National Community Relations and Development Secretary, appeared live on CNN yesterday with host Ali Velshi to discuss our 2010 Red Kettle Campaign.
As our iconic red kettles are already appearing on streets and by store fronts, Major Hood talked about how the money raised from this holiday tradition is critical in supporting local Army programs and services year round.
In case you missed the interview, we’ve got the video for you right here:
Kickin’ Off This Year’s Red Kettle Campaign Is…
The wait is over! Our National Advisory Board Chair Charlotte Jones Anderson made the announcement on ESPN’s Monday Night Football this evening…
Three-time Grammy Award winner Keith Urban has been named the featured performer for this year’s Salvation Army’s Kettle Kickoff! That means you get to watch him rock out during the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game halftime show on November 25 aired on FOX. (Read our official press release here)
But instead of watching from your couch, how would you like to catch all the action live at Cowboys Stadium?
As a part of the Kettle Kickoff promotion, fans will have an opportunity to win an expense-paid trip to the game to see Keith’s performance and watch Dallas take on last year’s Super Bowl champs, the New Orleans Saints. Just signup to be an Online Red Kettle virtual bell ringer at www.onlineredkettle.org, and the fans who collect the most donations for people in need have a chance to win! You can checkout rules and details at www.onlineredkettle.org, but the contest has started and there’s no time to waste, so we’re including key info below as well.
May the best virtual bell ringer win!
Eligibilty: The Contest is open to legal residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older, residing in one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia. Employees, soldiers and officers affiliated with The Salvation Army and their family members are eligible to participate.
Contest Time Period: The Contest runs from October 25, 2010 through Sunday, November 21, 2010 at 12 noon ET.
How to Sign Up: Participants can sign up for individual Online Red Kettles on the Internet at www.onlineredkettle.org and following the directions provided.
Prize Package: The prize package includes:
* Two game tickets to the November 25, 2010, Thanksgiving Day game between the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX
* Two field-level passes to the Keith Urban half-time performance
* One-night hotel stay for two persons at the Gaylord Hotel & Convention Center in Dallas in a single room with two queen-sized beds
* Two round-trip coach-class airline tickets from U.S. destinations (excluding U.S. territories and outlying areas) on a major commercial carrier, subject to seat availability
Winner: The participant whose individual Online Red Kettle has the highest monetary total of donations as of November 21, 2010 at 12 noon ET, will be declared the winner.
Tie-Breaker: In the event that more than one kettle has the exact same total, the person whose kettle was registered in the Online Red Kettle system first will be declared the winner.
Notification: The winner will be notified via the e-mail address they used to register their individual Online Red Kettle.
General Conditions: No purchase necessary.
Again, for more contest details please visit www.OnlineRedKettle.org or our website at www.salvationarmyusa.org.
