Listen to this article
November marks return of online red kettle campaign.
The Online Red Kettle is back by popular demand, providing us all an opportunity to ring and to give online to support the vital work of The Salvation Army at Christmastime and year ’round—all from the comfort of our own keyboards.
“All indicators point to a successful national Online Red Kettle Christmas program in 2006,” says campaign coordinator Nicci Noble, The Salvation Army’s electronic fundraising specialist. “The impact of the internet on The Salvation Army has never been greater than it was following Hurricane Katrina. In the 18 days after Katrina made land, The Salvation Army received five times more money online than it did in the first four and a half years of our online fundraising history. For example, our ‘Do More than Give’ peer-to-peer online campaign, which consisted of fewer than 11,000 emails to previous online donors, brought in $219,000 in disaster donations in less than 72 hours.”
The Online Red Kettle campaign is designed to bring The Salvation Army’s much-loved Red Kettles, a Christmas tradition since 1891, online and into the homes and businesses of the giving public. A peer-to-peer initiative, it offers three types of online kettles: personal, group and business.
Once a supporter becomes a host, he/she can send emails encouraging others to get involved, too. Personal online kettles enable individuals to set up their own kettle and invite people to help fill it. Group kettles (think: advisory organizations, civic and church groups, schools, scout troops, families, and so on) allow a team to raise funds collectively, but also as individual members. Business kettles offer business owners a cause related marketing opportunity, co-branded with The Salvation Army.
An important campaign enhancement will allow donors to designate their gifts to support The Salvation Army’s work in one of three ways: 1) to the donor’s geographic region based on the donor’s zip code, or 2) to the kettle host’s geographic region based on the host’s zip code, or 3) to another specific area or ministry.
Major Cindy Foley, territorial community relations and development secretary, issues a challenge to the West. “I encourage every corps and program, each advisory board, council and auxiliary to set up an online group kettle this Christmas season. It’s easy. It’s fun. And it’s a great way to reach out for support for the wonderful work we do at Christmastime and throughout the year.”
“I think everyone should consider hosting a kettle,” says Dona Romine, territorial direct marketing and donor management director. “We have created a user-friendly, verifiable, convenient way to set up kettles, process donations, designate gifts, and personalize all our correspondence. It’s really hard to justify not participating in this campaign!”
The campaign will officially launch on November 13, when people can sign up to host their kettles at www.onlineredkettle.org. In the meantime, all are welcome to visit the site for more information about the program.