Volunteer Bell Ringers Needed to Help Salvation Army Framingham

Framingham, MA (December 5, 2017) – The Salvation Army Framingham Community Corps today issued an urgent plea for volunteer bell ringers to assist with its local Red Kettle Campaign.

With just 17 Red Kettle days left in the season, the Framingham Corps is still more than 70 percent short of its $80,000 goal – largely due to a shortage of bell ringers. Individuals and groups interested in participating can volunteer anytime between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday at any of the Framingham Corps’ 10 Red Kettle locations in Framingham, Natick, Sudbury, Wayland and Ashland.

“The Red Kettle Campaign is crucial to help children, families and seniors in need across Framingham this holiday season and throughout the year,” said Wendy Kountz, business manager for The Salvation Army’s Framingham Corps. “Unfortunately, we are facing an urgent need for volunteer bell ringers this season. We’re grateful for the generous support of our community and even a few hours of time at one of the local Red Kettles can help tremendously.”

Donations from the Red Kettle Campaign fund a variety of local programs and services in Framingham throughout the year. This includes a food pantry, marketplace program that provides fresh produce and vegetables to local families in need, and toys and meals for more than 300 families this Christmas. This January, The Salvation Army’s Framingham Corps will also launch Club 3:16, a new after-school program for children in grades K-5 that features arts, music and other educational programming.

Those interested in volunteering at a local Red Kettle can email Wendy Kountz at Wendy.Kountz@USE.SalvationArmy.Org to set up a time and location.

The Framingham Corps’ local Red Kettle volunteer locations include the two Stop & Shop stores and Walmart in Framingham; Sudbury Farms and Shaw’s in Sudbury; Stop & Shop in Wayland; Market Basket and Shaw’s in Ashland; and Stop & Shop and Roche Bros in Natick.

The Salvation Army expects that the number of people in need across the Commonwealth will be at or near record levels this year. Recent economic indicators reveal that poverty levels remain largely unchanged across the state, despite recovery in some sectors.

The Red Kettle tradition began in 1891 when Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee wanted to help feed needy citizens in San Francisco. McFee remembered the ferry landings in Liverpool England, where people would sit with small kettles that travelers would toss spare change into to help the less fortunate. Placing his own kettle on Market Street in Oakland California, McFee was able to help individuals on Christmas. The idea traveled to Boston in 1897 and the Red Kettle Campaign has been a tradition ever since. Today, The Salvation Army assists more than four-and-a-half million people in the United States during Thanksgiving and Christmas each year.

For more information, please visit: http://massachusetts.salvationarmy.org/MA/Framingham

About The Salvation Army

Whether it is shelter for a displaced family or a hot drink for our brave first responders – hope and healing is the message of The Salvation Army. Since 1865, The Salvation Army has been providing social and spiritual services to communities throughout the world. People given purpose, hearts given hope and souls finding redemption – this has been our mission for more than a century.

With heart to God and hand to man, The Salvation Army – an international movement – is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.