PHILADELPHIA, PA — With Christmas just around the corner, The Salvation Army is warning that time — and donations — are running short as rising demand collides with slower-than-expected giving across Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware.
To spur urgent action, the organization has launched a divisional match challenge tied to its iconic Red Kettle Campaign. Any local Salvation Army Corps in Eastern Pennsylvania or Delaware that surpasses its 2024 Red Kettle fundraising total will receive up to $5,000 in matching funds, effectively doubling the impact of last-minute donations aimed at meeting immediate community needs.
The push comes as Salvation Army leaders report more families seeking help for food, shelter, and basic necessities, even as kettle contributions lag behind previous years.
“Across our communities, The Salvation Army is seeing more people turn to us for help, and at the same time, Red Kettle donations are slower than in years past,” said Lt. Colonel Edgar George Jr., divisional commander for the Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware Division. “If there was ever a time to consider giving back, it’s now. Thanks to this match challenge, every gift can go twice as far to help the community members we serve.”
The Red Kettle Campaign, now in its 134th year, is one of the organization’s most critical fundraising efforts, supporting services that extend well beyond the holiday season. Donations stay local, funding food assistance, housing support, emergency aid, disaster response, and social services for neighbors in crisis.
The urgency reflects stark economic realities. Feeding America estimates that one in eight people in Pennsylvania and Delaware — including one in six children — are experiencing hunger. United For ALICE research further shows that about 40% of households in the region live below the ALICE threshold, earning more than the official poverty line but still unable to afford basic living expenses.
Last year’s Red Kettle Campaign in Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware raised more than $3 million, helping provide more than 7 million meals, house more than 4,300 families, and distribute over 211,000 toys to children during the holidays. Salvation Army officials say that falling short this year could have immediate consequences for families already struggling to make ends meet.
The organization is urging residents to act quickly and choose one of several ways to give. Donations can be made online at https://salarmy.us/EPARedKettle, by texting KETTLE to 31333 to access a Virtual Red Kettle, or by dropping cash or change into kettles stationed at retailers and shopping centers throughout the region.
With the clock ticking toward Christmas, Salvation Army leaders stress that the familiar sound of the bell is more than a tradition — it is a call for immediate help at a moment when need is rising faster than donations.
More information about The Salvation Army Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware Division and its Red Kettle Campaign is available at https://easternusa.salvationarmy.org/eastern-pennsylvania/.
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