Salvation Army Makes It Easier Than Ever to Donate

The Salvation Army and TaskRabbit are partnering to make donating during the holiday season easier than ever in Chicago. TaskRabbit is a network of “taskers” that helps people and businesses get tasks done. From now until January 31, Chicagoans can have their clothing and goods donations picked up by a tasker and dropped off at a Salvation Army Family Store. Additionally, TaskRabbit will donate the applied service fee to the charity during this period.

Donated clothing and goods received by The Salvation Army are sold at its Family Stores; the proceeds fund its local Adult Rehabilitation Centers, which help people struggling with alcohol or substance abuse. With 141 facilities nationwide, The Salvation Army is the largest provider of rehabilitation services in the country.

“For the past 130 years, The Salvation Army has been one of the most important providers of social services in Chicagoland to people in need, all thanks to the generosity of our fellow Chicagoans,” said Lt. Colonel Charles Smith, Divisional Commander. “This partnership makes it easier than ever for people who are using new platforms—such as TaskRabbit—to give, and it helps us continue to put donated goods to the best use for our city’s most vulnerable people.”

The partnership is a first for both organizations and takes advantage of the mobile-first, on-demand economy. The Chicago program will be used as a test to inform future donation strategies and may lead to additional, always-on partnerships.

“TaskRabbit has already helped Chicagoans complete tens of thousands of tasks, and this partnership is just another way our taskers can assist people this holiday season,” said Rob Willey, vice president of marketing for TaskRabbit. “Combining TaskRabbit’s platform with The Salvation Army’s mission to help those in need is a great way to make donating more easy and convenient during this busy time of year.”

In addition to the TaskRabbit partnership, The Salvation Army’s Christmas campaign’s iconic red kettles will be on the streets through December 24, and online donations at salarmychicago.org are accepted through the end of January 2016.