Salvation Army

Alexandria, VA (March 17, 2009) - Donations to The Salvation Army's iconic red kettles set a new national record of $130 million in 2008, surpassing the previous record of $118 million set in 2007. The $130 million raised represents a 10 percent growth in donations year-over-year - the largest one-year jump since 1997.

Geographically, the Army saw large increases in donations to its kettles in the Eastern and Southern territories, by 19 percent and 12 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the Western and Central territories experienced giving increases between 5 and 7 percent. The Army's overall national growth in spite of the ongoing economic downturn is attributed to the continuous generosity of the American people, a large breadth of corporate partnerships and the greater application of innovative tech-based approach to fundraising.

"We know that Americans always give more in time of need, so we were confident that they would again respond to the call with an outstanding show of generosity. We thank all the donors, volunteers and corporate partners for their contributions and stand resolute in our Mission to serve those who need it most," said Commissioner Israel L. Gaither, National Commander of The Salvation Army. "The Red Kettle campaign is stronger than ever as it must be during these challenging times."

Notably, donations to red kettles at Walmart and Sam's Club stores accounted for more than $34 million or 26 percent of the total raised. Following a $1.25 million grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation, Walmart stores and Sam's Club locations hosted bell ringers and red kettles on November 8 for a pre-campaign "special day of giving" to give extra support to local communities facing tough economic times.

"In these tough economic times, we have set out to help address unmet, immediate needs in the communities that we serve. Because of this commitment, our partnership with The Salvation Army has become more important than ever," said Margaret McKenna, president of the Wal-Mart Foundation. "We are committed to making charitable contributions that have an impact, and are proud that our customers are willing to donate to the Red Kettle campaign and help their neighbors make ends meet."

To help spur donations in 2008, The Salvation Army offered new tech-savvy ways to give. For donors who don't regularly carry money, the Army tested cashless red kettles in Denver, CO and Dallas, TX, that made it possible to donate via credit or debit card. Also, several locations piloted a text messaging service that allowed cell phone users to contribute via their phone bills. Internet giving, meanwhile, rose an impressive 28 percent this year for a total of $10 million during Christmas.

"This year we reached a new generation of donors we've never been able to reach before through the use of high-tech tools like cashless kettles, the Online Red Kettle, and the iPhone," said Commissioner Gaither. "We also started using social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, which allows friends and family of our supporters to donate more easily than years past via the internet."