The Salvation Army Calls For Online Red Kettle Volunteers

Virtual Red Kettles Harness the Internet, Facebook,
To Benefit Those in Need in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, November 26, 2007 - The Salvation Army today announced the launch of the 2007 Online Red Kettle program to help raise money for those in need at Christmas and throughout the year. This is Memphis' first year participating in the Online Red Kettle Program.

As part of the program, individuals and organizations nationwide are recruited to help the Army, and those we serve, throughout the holiday season by hosting their own "virtual" red kettle through The Salvation Army's national Web site. The Online Red Kettles use the power of the Internet to compliment the traditional bell-ringing Christmas campaign that has been used successfully in front of retail stores since 1891. This year, for the first time ever, users of the popular social networking Web site, Facebook.com, will have the opportunity to host kettles from their personal pages.

The Salvation Army's virtual program, now in its third year, raised more than $482,000 nationally in 2006. This represented a 268 percent increase in online giving from the program's inaugural year. All gifts are tax deductible and are processed through The Salvation Army's secure servers; then directed either to the local community of the donor based on each donor's zip code, or to the location of the Online Red Kettle host, depending on the donor's decision. Volunteers can sign up to be virtual bell-ringers, via www.salvationarmyusa.org.

As a new innovation for 2007, Facebook users can easily host and post an Online Red Kettle to their personal profile and automatically encourage the friends in their network to give. Each time a friend in the host's network visits the kettle and makes a donation, an automatic notification is posted to friends in the donor's network as well, indicating the donor's support of the host and his or her Online Red Kettle. This ripple effect continues as more and more Facebook users give to or host their own Online Red Kettle.

"The Online Red Kettles are a new way that volunteer-minded individuals and organizations can meaningfully contribute to their community," said Major George Hood, National Community Relations Secretary for The Salvation Army. "While our bells will always be out on the street, our Online Red Kettle Web site allows us to create a complimentary Christmas tradition for the next generation of social networkers who are looking for ways to provide critical support for real-world social services."

Some of the features of the Online Red Kettle program include:

• Donors can contribute to The Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign from the comfort of their own home.
• E-gift receipts are provided for every online donation and can be used to verify tax deductions.
• Individuals are able to customize and host a personal online kettle, set a fundraising goal and automatically e-mail friends and family members asking for their support in filling their kettle with online donations.
• The new Facebook component allows individual Kettle hosts to easily encourage their network of friends to give to the virtual Kettle on their Facebook profile.
• Group Red Kettles allow civic-minded organizations and businesses the ability to pool their donations for an enterprise-wide goal. They can also track and view an up-to-date snapshot of giving totals.

"We are excited to be a part of the Online Red Kettle program this year," said Major Mark Woodcock, Area Commander, The Salvation Army. "As an organization we are looking for innovative ways to connect with our current supporters and potential supporters. We believe the Online Red Kettle will allow us to reach more people and increase our visibility in social networking arenas."

Money raised in the Online Red Kettles set up locally and the traditional Red Kettles is used to fund The Salvation Army's many programs here in Memphis. These programs include the homeless shelters, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, utility assistance, emergency assistance, disaster relief and a variety of children's programs. From its humble beginnings as a fundraiser started by a Salvation Army captain in San Francisco in 1891, the Red Kettle Campaign has grown into one of the most recognizable and important charitable campaigns in the United States.

CONTACT:
Abby More
Thompson & Berry PR
(901) 328-5233

Elizabeth Duncan
The Salvation Army
(901) 260 -9130