PRESS RELEASE

Salvation Army Announces National Fundraising Partnerships for the 2007 Christmas Season

November 26, 2007--The Salvation Army announced today its comprehensive, national plan for Christmas partnerships this season to help people in need. As part of the plan, the Army will work with several major national brands to provide for basic needs including toys, food and utility assistance at Christmas and other critical social services throughout the year. This year’s partnerships include initiatives with The Dallas Cowboys, Denny’s, Rayovac, Target and Wal-Mart, as well as an array of local and regional businesses.

“On behalf of The Salvation Army and the people we serve, I want to thank our partners for their generous contributions not only in dollars and in-kind donations, but their time and dedication to helping people in need,” said Major George Hood, National Community Relations and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army. “Their efforts demonstrate a commitment to doing the most good for the communities we jointly serve.”

The Salvation Army will call on its service centers in more than 5,000 communities nationwide to help execute the national programs. The organization will work with its partners to roll out several events and activities throughout the Christmas season including:

  • Dallas Cowboys Red Kettle Kick-Off – For the eleventh year in a row, the Red Kettle Campaign was kicked-off in a nationally televised performance at The Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game. Kelly Clarkson was the featured performer and will be the honorary kettle chair for the season. More than $1 billion has been raised since the national kick-off began.

  • Denny’s “Salvation Army Angel Trees” – For the second year in a row, Denny’s will be the only restaurant chain to host “Angel Tree” gift giving programs in its locations nationwide. The program allows Denny’s customers and employees to select “angel” ornaments from in-restaurant Christmas Trees and purchase gifts of new clothing and toys for local children and families in need.  Last year, over 900 restaurants helped collect more than 268,000 gifts -- or $5.36 million in clothing and toys -- within three weeks, and the popular chain hopes to exceed that total in 2007.  The program will run from November 13 through December 11, 2007, at participating Denny’s.

  • Rayovac Batteries “Keep It Ringing” Tour– In addition to featuring The Salvation Army logo and signage on its battery packaging in retail stores nationwide, Rayovac also pledged a $250,000 cash donation to the Red Kettles.  President Dave Lumley kicked off Rayovac’s national “Keep It Ringing” tour at an event on November 27, in cooperation with Wal-Mart. The multi-city, mobile tour features a 17” Rayovac-powered Red Kettle bell that will keep ringing non-stop, cross-country, all Christmas season long.  The bell will be visiting Wal-Mart locations across the country from November 21 through December 21 in an effort to remind shoppers that the needs of less fortunate families does not go away when the bell stops ringing. More information on the tour is available on the Internet at: www.keepitringing.org.

  • Sam’s Club “Adopt a Family” with Off the Field Player’s Wives Association – This Christmas, the wholesale retail chain (part of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is sponsoring events in five cities during which the wives of famous football players will shop for families in need for both everyday and holiday items. The events will take place in Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Denver and San Diego on December 6, 2007. Sam’s Club managers and volunteers will help distribute the gifts through the local Salvation Army. Sam’s has pledged more than $50,000 in merchandise, including $200 food gift cards for each family.

  • Target “Gifts for Greater Good” – As part of its overall charitable efforts during the holidays, Target again will donate $1 million to The Salvation Army to provide assistance to local units through the holidays and throughout the year.  In addition, Target has created an exclusive holiday product collection where a portion of the purchase price will be directly donated to various causes. On behalf of The Salvation Army, the company is selling a special “Songs for Greater Good” compilation CD featuring some of today’s most popular recording artists, singing traditional Christmas songs. Artists include: Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Harry Connick Jr., Tony Bennett, and Luther Vandross. The CD retails for $5.99 and $2 from each sale will be donated to The Salvation Army. Also, Target is selling a second-annual Salvation Army Christmas tree ornament, in the shape of an angel. The ornament retails at $9.99 and 100 percent of the profits from the sale of the ornament will be donated to The Salvation Army. The ornament also is available online at www.target.com. 

  • Wal-Mart “Bells Ringing Across America” – Wal-Mart is supporting The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign, by hosting kettles outside its Wal-Mart stores, Neighborhood Markets and Sam’s Club locations nationwide from November 23 through Christmas Eve. President and CEO Lee Scott launched the campaign with a $1 million dollar donation on behalf of the Wal-Mart Foundation during a simultaneous nationwide bell ringing event organized by the company to raise awareness for volunteering and charitable giving.  Local celebrities and politicians were invited to join store managers and Salvation Army officers as volunteer bell ringers on November 27.    

  • Wal-Mart “Christmas Carol Concert” - Wal-Mart is also producing its first-ever Christmas Carol Concert featuring The Salvation Army and Pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, which will air on the in-store Wal-Mart television network on December 7, 2007 at 9:30 am local time. A series of live Salvation Army Brass Band concerts will also take place at Wal-Mart stores and Sam’s Club locations throughout the season. Last year, Red Kettle donations in front of Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club topped $30 million, nearly a quarter of all campaign giving, and the company hopes to exceed that total this year.

“The Salvation Army has a unique ability to work with both national and local companies on events and outreach almost anywhere in the U.S,” said Major Hood. “Because we serve so many people with different needs in nearly 5,000 communities nationwide, we are able to build customized programs that help philanthropic-minded organizations give back locally.”

In addition to the events and activities, The Salvation Army is offering partners the opportunity to host Online Red Kettles. The group Red Kettles give companies an easy way to fundraise and pool resources for an organization-wide goal. Businesses can also place the link on their Internet or Intranet site to encourage visitors to donate. This page will include an up-to-date snapshot of giving totals as the season progresses. A number of partners have already signed up as virtual volunteers, including the Dallas Cowboys, Rayovac andWal-Mart.

               

The Salvation Army is grateful to all of its national and local corporate partners for the support they provide to the over 35 million people helped by the organization each year. 

               

The Salvation Army serves more than 200,000 people in the Twin Cities and is a safety net for those with no place to turn. We serve 1,100 hot meals every day and house more than 700 people every night. Donations can be made by mailing a check to 2445 Prior Ave, Roseville, MN 55113 or by clicking below.