Red Kettles Ring in Hope

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A Salvation Army bell ringer beside a Red Kettle

The Red Kettle: Hope That Lasts All Year

You know the sound of the bell and the sight of the Red Kettle. What you might not know is how far that gift goes. The coins and bills you drop in a kettle at Christmas help keep food on the table, the lights on, and a safe place to sleep for your neighbors long after the decorations come down.

The Red Kettle Campaign is The Salvation Army's largest fundraising effort of the year. It began in 1891 with one kettle and a simple idea: help people in need right where you live. That idea still drives every kettle today.

When you give to a Red Kettle, you aren't just giving to Christmas. You're giving to every month that follows.

Sign Up Now Start a Virtual Kettle
Salvation Army staff or volunteer serving a meal to a family
What Your Kettle Gift Makes Possible All Year Long

Here are just a few of the ways your gift keeps working after the season ends.

restaurantFood for Families

Food pantries and hot meals help families and seniors who are struggling to make ends meet.

night_shelterShelter and Housing

Emergency shelter and housing support give people a safe place to sleep and a path toward stability.

lightbulbRent and Utility Help

Help with rent and utility bills keeps families in their homes when an unexpected crisis hits.

emergencyDisaster Relief

When storms and disasters strike, The Salvation Army is there with meals, water, supplies, and emotional and spiritual care.

sports_soccerYouth Programs

After-school programs, summer camps, and music and sports activities give kids a safe place to learn and grow.

redeemChristmas Assistance

Toys, clothing, and holiday meals bring the joy of Christmas morning to children and families who need it most.

sports_footballIt All Kicks Off on Thanksgiving Day

Every year, the Red Kettle Campaign officially begins on one of the biggest stages in America: the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game. Since 1997, the Cowboys have partnered with The Salvation Army to launch the season, with millions of families watching from home as the campaign gets underway.

Red Kettles and bell ringers appear outside stores and shopping centers across the country and right here in your community, and the season runs through Christmas Eve. When volunteers sign up for shifts early, kettles can be out in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving too, giving our neighbors even more chances to give.

This Thanksgiving, when you gather around the game with your family, look for the Red Kettle. Then make it part of your family's Christmas tradition.

play_circle Watch: Feeling Joy When we help somebody, joy is in the air. Press play and feel it this Christmas.

Why Your Gift Matters

Here's what our neighbors most want to know before they give.

Neighbors receiving Christmas help from The Salvation Army in their community
location_onIt Stays Close to Home

Kettle gifts help people in the community where they're given. The neighbor you help could live on your street.

Salvation Army staff and volunteers serving families at Christmas
verifiedIt's Put to Good Use

The Salvation Army works to be a careful steward of every gift so that your generosity reaches the people who need it.

A gift being placed in a Red Kettle
paymentsEvery Amount Counts

Spare change adds up. Thousands of small gifts together become meals, shelter, and help for thousands of people.

A donor giving to a Red Kettle with a mobile phone
contactlessNo Cash? No Problem.

Kettle signs may have a QR code you can scan to make a quick mobile gift right into the Red Kettle. Many also accept tap-to-pay, and you can always give online from anywhere.

Ready to ring? Pick the store and shift that work for you.

Sign Up Now
A volunteer bell ringer at a Red Kettle
Find Your Way to Help

There's a place for everyone this season. Choose the one that fits you best. Shifts fill fast in December, so sign up early to choose your store and time.

family_restroomFor Families

Ring the bell together! A kettle shift is a simple, fun way to show your kids what it means to love your neighbor. Many families make it a Christmas tradition they look forward to every year.

Sign Up as a Family Adopt an Angel
notifications_activeFor Individuals

Have a couple of hours to give? Volunteer as a bell ringer at a location near you and pick the time and place that work for your schedule. Looking for seasonal work? Paid Red Kettle bell ringer positions are also available.

Volunteer to Ring Paid Bell Ringer Jobs
businessFor Businesses and Teams

Adopt a kettle for a day and fill shifts with your coworkers. It's a great team-building experience and a visible way to serve your community. Want to go further? Explore corporate partnerships that support your neighbors all year long.

Adopt a Kettle Corporate Partnerships
groupsFor Churches, Schools, and Clubs

Rally your group to ring together, host a friendly competition, or take on a kettle location for the season.

Get Your Group Involved Contact Your Local Corps
laptopFor Friends Near and Far

Start your own virtual Red Kettle and share it by text, email, or social media. It's perfect for families spread across the country. You can even join the National Commander's Virtual Red Kettle Challenge and see how much your kettle can raise.

Start a Virtual Kettle Join the Challenge
favoriteFor Anyone, Anytime

Drop a gift in a kettle when you hear the bell, or give online right here on this page. However you give, you're bringing hope to someone in need. Want to do even more? There are volunteer opportunities all year round.

Volunteer Sign Up Give Now
Angel Tree gifts ready for children at Christmas
redeemBring Christmas Morning to a Child Through Angel Tree

Alongside the Red Kettle, The Salvation Army's Angel Tree program helps make Christmas morning possible for children whose families are struggling. Each "angel" represents a child in your community, with their age, clothing sizes, and Christmas wishes.

Angel Tree is offered through our local Salvation Army centers and area commands. Families typically sign up for help in September, angels are adopted in November, and gifts are returned in November and December so they can be shared in time for Christmas.

To Adopt an Angel, pick a tag from an Angel Tree in your community and shop for new clothes and toys, or adopt an angel online through our virtual option. You can also volunteer to help sort, organize, and distribute gifts to families. It's a joyful way for families, coworkers, and groups to serve together.

Find a Local Center Volunteer with Angel Tree
Questions About Ringing and Giving
Visit our volunteer site to see open bell-ringing shifts near you. Choose a store, date, and shift from 2 to 8 hours that works for you, and you're all set.
Shifts range from 2 hours up to 8 hours. When you sign up, you can choose from the specific stores and shift times that are available. Sign up for one shift or several, whatever fits your schedule.
Yes! Children are welcome to ring alongside a parent or guardian. It's a great way to serve together as a family.
Yes. Kettle signs may have a QR code you can scan with your phone to make a quick mobile gift right into the Red Kettle. Many kettles also accept tap-to-pay, and you can always give online right here on this page.
Kettle gifts help people in the community where they're given, supporting food, shelter, rent and utility help, youth programs, and more all year long. If you or someone you know needs help, use our location finder to find services near you.
The campaign kicks off nationally on Thanksgiving Day and runs through Christmas Eve. When volunteers sign up for shifts early, Red Kettles can also appear in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.
Not at all. All you need is a smile and a cheerful "Merry Christmas!" We'll let you know where to go and what to expect.
Absolutely. Groups can sign up for multiple shifts or cover a kettle location for a full day. It's a meaningful way to serve together. Find shifts on our volunteer site. You can also contact your local corps or area command to plan a kettle day for your group. Use our location finder to find the one nearest you.
Yes. In addition to volunteers, The Salvation Army hires seasonal Red Kettle bell ringers. See current openings on our employment opportunities page.
A virtual Red Kettle is your own online fundraising page. Set one up at fundraiseforgood.org, share the link with friends and family, and watch the gifts add up, no matter where your loved ones live.
It's a nationwide invitation to start a virtual Red Kettle and help raise support for neighbors in need this Christmas. Learn more and join the challenge.
Gifts to The Salvation Army are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Online gifts include a receipt for your records.
We'd love to hear from you! Find your local Salvation Army center or area command, and our team will be glad to help with any questions about ringing, giving, or getting involved.
Find Your Local Center
shareSpread the Word

Sharing is one of the easiest ways to help! Download ready-to-post graphics, then share them with one of these suggested messages, or write your own.

  • "Hear the bell? That's the sound of hope! Every gift in a Salvation Army Red Kettle helps neighbors in need right here at home, all year long. #RedKettle"
  • "This year our family is ringing the bell together! Sign up for a shift and make the Red Kettle part of your Christmas tradition. #RedKettle"
  • "No cash? No problem! Look for the QR code on the Red Kettle sign to give with your phone, or start your own virtual Red Kettle and invite friends to give. #RedKettle"
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A Salvation Army bell ringer greeting shoppers at a Red Kettle
One Bell. One Kettle. A Whole Year of Hope.

This Christmas, your gift or your time can reach far beyond the season. Join thousands of neighbors who make the Red Kettle Campaign possible, and help bring hope to someone in your community all year long.

Merry Christmas from The Salvation Army!

Sign Up Now Start a Virtual Kettle
Animated Salvation Army volunteer dancing beside a Red Kettle
Animated Salvation Army volunteer dancing beside a Red Kettle