The Salvation Army Begins 2017 by Reaching Important Goal
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Tammy Shank
Director of Development
2211 Park Ave, Lynchburg, VA
434-845-5939
[email protected]
Lynchburg, VA (December 28, 2016) – The Salvation Army of Greater Lynchburg announced today that the 2016 Red Kettle Campaign raised $269,314 surpassing its $250,000 goal. This is the largest amount raised to date in the more than 60 years the Red Kettle Campaign has been part of the Greater Lynchburg community. "Reaching this goal was essential for us to be able to maintain the work we do in the community 365 days a year," said Captain Donald Dohmann. "We are thankful for the incredible generosity of the people who call the Greater Lynchburg area home and will use these funds to continue our mission of ‘Doing the Most Good' for those in the most need."
The Red Kettle Campaign is part of an overall budget of $2.7 million that enables The Salvation Army of Greater Lynchburg to maintain the Center of Hope homeless shelter, the community feeding program, the emergency financial assistance program and several youth and adult enrichment programs in the community. "We raise funds year-round through donations, grants, and fundraising events to support our annual budget," stated Director of Development Tammy Shank. "The Red Kettle Campaign is the first fundraising event of our fiscal year, and reaching the goal means we are on target to meet what are greatly anticipated needs in our community in the coming year."
The Salvation Army credits the success of this campaign to the hundreds of individuals, companies, churches and civic organizations who volunteered to ring the bells and placed donations in the kettle during this year's campaign. Individual donations ranged from a penny all the way up to $1,000. The Red Kettle Campaign began in San Francisco in 1891, and has been in Lynchburg since approximately the 1950s. The fundraising event runs from the first week in November through December 24 annually. In addition to the amount given in the Red Kettles, the community donated gifts for more than 1,800 children and elderly during this year's Angel Tree program, which runs simultaneously with the Red Kettle Campaign.
To learn more about the work of the Salvation Army of Greater Lynchburg and opportunities to financially support or volunteer in one of its community programs, please visit https://salvationarmypotomac.org/lynchburgva/.
# #
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.