Smith’s Food & Drug employees at nearly all store locations will ring in the season of giving on Friday, Dec. 4 with The Big Ring —a day of storewide employee volunteerism in support of the 125th annual Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign.
During The Big Ring, Smith’s employees will take over the red kettles from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., volunteering as bell ringers in support of The Salvation Army’s holiday fundraising campaign. This is the second year of the partnership which last year raised $25,000 for the charity.
On this single day, Smiths will be providing over 1,000 hours of kettle standing, which will save The Salvation Army roughly $9,000 in staffing costs, as well as contributing the donations received in the red kettle that day, for a potential donation of $49,000. The collective 2015 Christmas goal is $500,000 in red kettle donations.
“This is a vital time of year for The Salvation Army with nearly 60 percent of the donations collected this time going to fund the many programs and services we provide to those in need all year round,” said Troy Trimmer, Envoy In Charge of The Salvation Army. “We are extremely grateful to Smith’s for taking on The Big Ring throughout nearly all its store locations.”
The Red Kettle Campaign encourages donors to share their reasons for giving by using #RedKettleReason in social media posts.
“Our associates enjoy participating in the Big Ring because they want to help The Salvation Army assist others who otherwise may be forgotten in the rush of the holiday season,” said Marsha Gilford, Smith’s vice president of public affairs.
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church, has been supporting those in need without discrimination since 1865. More than 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a broad array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter for the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children.
Smith’s is a division of the Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR), one of the nation’s largest retail grocers. From its division office in Salt Lake City, Smith’s 15,600 associates serve customers in 139 stores throughout seven western states. Visit www.smithsfoodanddrug.com for more information.
# # #
