Rochester Salvation Army Looking For 300 Bell Ringers To Fill Gap
Do-gooders urgently needed to save local Red Kettle Campaign
The Salvation Army of Greater Rochester has officially kicked off its 2023 Red Kettle Campaign with close to 50 kettles appearing at retailers across Monroe County. The grand effort of this holiday tradition is much larger than meets the eye; nearly 6,000 volunteer hours go into keeping these kettles active through December 23rd.
Today the Rochester organization announced an urgent, community-wide need for more volunteer red kettle ringers. Only 40% of the necessary positions have been filled to date, meaning at least 300 more volunteers are needed to ring for 2-hour shifts over the next four weeks.
Without the support of new or returning ringers, many kettles are left empty and in the corner of retail entrances including Eastview Mall, Hobby Lobby, Tops Friendly Markets and JCPenney.
The result could negatively impact the work the Rochester Salvation Army does for those in need. All Red Kettle donations stay local to help provide shelter, support services and emergency items to Monroe County families and individuals throughout the upcoming year.
“As the need for Salvation Army assistance continues to increase due to economic hardships, so has the need for bell ringing volunteers.” said Major Rick Starkey of The Salvation Army. “Just one shift makes a significant difference in each day’s donation total.”
Volunteers of all ages can ring at a red kettle as individuals or in small groups. They’re encouraged to sing carols, play instruments, or simply ring the provided red bell. Locations, dates and open timeslots can be found at registertoring.com or by calling 585-754-9918.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army has supported those in need without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Over 10,000 people look to The Salvation Army of Greater Rochester each year for support services that include providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, shelter for the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. For more information about our efforts in Greater Rochester, visit RochesterNY.SalvationArmy.org