The Elgin Salvation Army got an early start on the holidays, kicking off its Red Kettle campaign Thursday at a concert featuring the Chicago Staff Band.
“We are excited and eager for this season,” said Lt. Allison Rodriguez, who serves as an officer alongside her husband, Lt. Scott Rodriguez, at the Salvation Army, 316 Douglas Ave. “We are creating awareness” for the campaign, she said.
This year’s kickoff is a week earlier than last year.
“We like to get ahead of the kettle season so we can raise awareness so by the time the red kettles are out it’s on people’s minds and they are ready,” Rodriguez said.
The iconic red kettles will be out at local businesses on Nov. 7, Rodriguez said.
Thursday’s concert was a kickoff as the Salvation Army begins raising funds to reach its $250,000 goal to fund its programs, including a new one providing lunch once a month for seniors.
“We were able to raise about 90% of our goal last year, so we are really hoping to get to 100% (this year),” Rodriguez said. “We know that giving in general is down this year and the need is much higher.”
“People who used to be giving now need to be receiving,” Rodriguez said.
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An example of that need is how the number of people coming to the Home Good Pantry has tripled in a year, Rodriguez said. The pantry, which provides items like shampoo, deodorant, and other things that can’t be purchased with a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) card, is serving about 275 people a month, she said.
Its food pantry, held on Tuesdays and Fridays, went from serving 50 people a month to serving 30 families on each day, said Diana Palacios, resource development director.
The annual Angel Tree toy giveaway already has 458 families registered, Palacios said. The Salvation Army is serving 600 families this year, she said. Registration is continuing.
“It’s really the community supporting the community,” Rodriguez said. “It’s one of the wonderful things about the Angel Tree program. It’s from the community being neighborly and generous. What a beautiful thing to witness, for us.”
Salvation Army officials understand family budgets may not be going far enough to donate, but volunteering is just as valuable, Palacios said.
“We are big on volunteering for bell ringing or helping in our workshop,” Rodriguez said.
The kickoff concert, held at Elgin Community College’s Blizzard Theater, was a first for the Salvation Army. The Chicago Staff Band, founded in 1907, features members of the Salvation Army’s congregation from the metropolitan Chicago area.
“We thought it would be something different. It’s our first year trying it. We’ll go from there and see what happens. It’s something to build on,” Palacios said.
“We come here together on a night like this to bring glory to his name,” said Lt. Col. John Pook, a member of the band. “Our prayer tonight as we come here together and worship is that you experience his presence and his peace. Shortly, we will begin a season where we will celebrate Advent and his birth.”
Donations can be made online via elginredkettle.org. Anyone interested in ringing bells can register at ringforgood.org.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Elgin Courier-News.