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TechnoratiThe familiar Christmas red kettles are back and kicking off this year's Salvation Army campaign is two-time Grammy Award winner Kelly Clarkson on Thanksgiving Day.
(Photo: PRNewsFoto / Salvation Army)Kelly Clarkson, center, meets Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager, left, and Salvation Army National Commander Israel L. Gaither, right, during a series of interviews at Texas Stadium in Dallas, TX. Clarkson will perform during the nationally televised Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game live halftime show to kick off The Salvation Army's Red Kettle Christmas Campaign. (Dallas Cowboys, Richie Humphreys).
"This is the time of year when people should be thinking about giving back, so it's a perfect fit for me to be supporting the Red Kettle campaign, which helps so many people at Christmas and throughout the year," said Clarkson. "For thousands of people in desperate need, the sound of a Salvation Army bell is a song of hope."
The former American Idol winner will officially launch the annual Red Kettle campaign with a live performance during the halftime show at the Dallas Cowboys vs. the New York Jets game in Texas.
"Kelly Clarkson is one of the most dynamic performers out there today – and we couldn't be more proud that she's from Dallas" said Jerry Jones, Cowboys owner and general manager. "We are happy to continue this American holiday tradition at Texas Stadium by kicking off The Salvation Army's annual Red Kettle Christmas campaign with what I'm sure will be a terrific halftime show set on a national stage to be shared with millions of families as a reminder to give to a Red Kettle this holiday season."
Clarkson, who will also serve as honorary chairperson for the campaign and help raise awareness of the red kettles throughout the holiday season, follows last year's kettle kickoff by the more recent American Idol winner Carrie Underwood. The 2006 campaign collected a record-breaking $117 million which was used to help more than 5,000 local communities across the country.
"Demand for Salvation Army services – fro disaster relief to adult rehabilitation to providing a happy Christmas for families in need – never seems to wane," noted Major George Hood, national community relations and development secretary for The Salvation Army. "The continued public support of the Red Kettle campaign is a major reason why we are able to provide these and other critical services."
This year, The Salvation Army is partnering with five major corporations, including Rayovac, Target, Sam's Club, Wal-Mart and Denny's, each of which is supporting the annual campaign in a different way.
Target Corporation is giving The Salvation Army $1 million for the third year in a row to support local programs during the Christmas season as well as year-round. Wal-Mart and Sam's Club is promoting the second annual "Bells Across America" event on Nov. 27, when store managers will step outside their stores and ring a Salvation Army bell for 30 minutes – all at the same time. And Denny's hosts again this year the Angel Tree program in which restaurant patrons donate new gifts for kids in need while receiving a discount on their next Denny's visit. Last year, Denny's restaurants collected more than 268,000 toys and gifts. The program runs from Nov. 13 to Dec. 11.
The Christmas Red Kettle campaign is one of the oldest annual charitable fundraisers in the United States. Since 1891, it has grown into one of the most recognizable and important charitable campaigns involving more than 25,000 volunteers who ring bells across the country for donations. Donations can also be made online at salvationarmyusa.org.
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