Every year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, The Salvation Army collects donations in front of stores and on street corners nationwide in their signature Red Kettles. To me, every time I see the Red Kettle, I know it’s officially the holidays. The money collected not only provides meals and shelter for families and Christmas toys for millions of children during the holiday season, but also supplies necessary resources for numerous other social services programs year-round such as substance abuse programs, domestic violence respite and counseling services, and military veteran assistance programs. It’s simply amazing. The Salvation Army will always hold a very special place in my heart. I remember throughout my childhood and teenage year (and now till this day!), my father would volunteer his time by ringing the bell collect money in front of the iconic Red Kettle. My father takes great pride in taking time out of his busy life to do what he can to help raise money for The Salvation Army. Every time I see someone ringing a bell in front of a Red Kettle, I always donate something. I don’t always have cash on me, but when I do, I give.
That red kettle symbolizes something great: giving back to the community and making someone’s life better.
I’m honored to have partnered with The Salvation Army again this holiday season to share my #RedKettleReason and inspire you to find and share your reason. Recently I had the pleasure to give back to 5 families with baby essentials – diapers, wipes, food and clothing. It felt so good to be able to give these families something that they didn’t expect and something that I knew would help them out. It touched my heart to see their deep appreciation and thankfulness. I want to do the same again and again throughout the holiday season.
My #RedKettleReason is to give back to someone I don’t know and make them smile, make them happy. You never know the true story to someone’s life until you’ve walked in their shoes. Giving back — no matter how big or how small — is one of the best things you can do. It’s wonderful to think that you have changed someone’s day or someone’s week or someone’s life by taking the time out of your life to do something positive for someone else. The holidays are all about giving and it’s the perfect time of year to embrace the “giving back” spirit. I’m encouraging everyone in my family and all my close friends this holiday season to do something for someone else. Donate clothing. Volunteer. Visit a nursing home. Start a food drive. Do something that will have an impact. Do something that will make others get involved. Be that “spark” that ignites the love for someone else.
And when you see those Red Kettles this holiday season, stop and think about their impact. Donations to those Red Kettles made by people like you and me helped more than 27 million people in need last year. That’s a powerful impact.
And this year, you have the chance to win an opportunity to make an even greater impact for children in need in your community — just by sharing your #RedKettleReason on video.
The Salvation Army Giving Spree is a call for all Americans to share their #RedKettleReason for a chance to win a televised, closed to the public, all expenses paid shopping spree ñ where all the toys and necessities you can grab directly benefiting your local Salvation Army children’s shelter or children’s program. The winner even gets to fly all the goodies back to their hometown to help distribute them.
For full rules and details on how to enter, just visit redkettlereason.org and click on #GivingSpreeSweeps!
Now tell me: what is your #RedKettleReason? Tell me in the comments for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card!
Gift Card Entry Instructions:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
- Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
- Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: #SweepstakesEntry; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
- Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
- For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 11/18/15 — 12/20/15.
Be sure to visit The Salvation Army brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggersí posts!
My reason is that I’m thankful our family is fortunate to have a home, food, and gifts at Christmas, and I like to give back to those who aren’t as fortunate.
tweet–https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/667350552750215171
My #RedKettleReason is to help another family have a nice holiday, so they can have one less thing to worry about.
tweet
https://twitter.com/Kellydpa/status/667380284770402304
My #RedKettleReason is everyone should have a nice holiday. We donate to local shelters and organizations and also to pet shelters.
my #RedKettleReason is giving back to kids that may not have a Christmas or get gifts
https://twitter.com/sweetums82/status/667521249262727169
My #RedKettleReason is buying Christmas toys once a month and donate to different charities at the end of the year.
Thanks for the generous giveaway! My tweet https://twitter.com/Ladygeedee/status/667557152014340096
My #RedKettleReason is to be thankful for what I have, to share and give back to needed people.
tcarolinep at gmali dot com
tweet-https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/667565116825579520
My reason is that we have been a family with very little money, and Christmas was especially stressful because of it. I want my children to appreciate everything they have, and to know how blessed they are. I want them to give back to others, too.
chambanachik(at)gmail(dot)com
My #RedKettleReason is to help people in need and to give back to my community
https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/667803374167855104
My #RedKettleReason is the kids, the little ones who can’t help themselves, can’t put food on the table and can’t clothe themselves. I hope that my children learn to be charitable and help the less fortunate.
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/FireRunner2379/status/667816640130584576.
My #RedKettleReason is to bless others and give back to the community because I have been SO blessed in my own life. I also want to lead by example and teach my family good values of giving back to others.
https://twitter.com/yarbr012/status/667890578613407744
My #RedKettleReason is because I feel for those that have nothing: no new clothing, not enough food, not enough money, so I give to The Salvation Army, other charities, and locally to food banks, to do what
I can to try and alleviate some of this hardship.
tweet-https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/668155234540085248
My #RedKettleReason is that I enjoy giving and helping others who are less fortunate. And I hope that I can help make the world a better place, even if it’s only in some small way.
Tweet link: https://twitter.com/shala_darkstone/status/668237835821035521
My #RedKettleReason is that it is important to give back during the holiday season. It is so important to help families that are less fortunate than you.
My #RedKettleReason is my family. They are always there for me and I am so thankful to have them. We all love giving back any way that we can!
Thank you for the giveaway
Tweet
https://twitter.com/allisonrswain/status/668484436443418624
My #RedKettleReason is the importance of giving to those less fortunate than yourself when you can and the lessons it teaches my kids.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/PrettyHotPink6/status/669184671784112130
My #RedKettleReason is to donate a gift to a family that can’t afford a present for Christmas for their child.
https://twitter.com/willgriesmer/status/669495605534851072
I want to teach my kids that giving back is important!
https://twitter.com/3taratops/status/669516065395740673
My #RedKettleReason is that I enjoying giving to others because you never know when you might need a helping hand as well.
https://twitter.com/RachelGriesmer/status/669669765451878400
My Red Kettle Reason is that I’ve been the one on the receiving end before, and now that we’re doing better, I want to help others.
My red kettle reason is to provide for that may not have a Christmas otherwise
https://twitter.com/Attea2d/status/669879658964508672
My #RedKettleReason is that I feel that my family and I are blessed with the life that we have and that I’d like to help others that are in need.
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/peg42/status/669911373724434432
Thanks again
#RedKettleReason is that I know how hard it can be, especially during the winter making ends meet and feeling the holiday expectations of spending even when you don’t have a lot of money.
My #RedKettleReason is to do what I can to make another person’s day a little bit brighter. We all go through hard times in our lives and we need to empathize more and make a difference in the world.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/mummytotwoboys1/status/670003699809431553
My #RedKettleReason is to help the most forgotten-the chronic severe mentally ill -who are often homeless or in prison. I take care of a person like that. They have few visitors in nursing homes and are stigmatized to this day. We give to the Salvation Army all year long.
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/rosannepm/status/670022317880287232
My redkettle reason is because no one should be forgotten
https://twitter.com/carogonza/status/670068149786669057
My #RedKettleReason is my kids as well. I want them to be generous and kind to others. Thanks for sharing your video. Love it.
amy [at] utry [dot] it
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/670153501050347520
amy [at] utry [dot] it
I want to teach my children to be good people… not just during the holidays but all year long. We tend to do more for others during the holidays (donate money, food, toys) but I try to make them aware that it should not end there. We all need to be more kind. Thanks.
My #RedKettleReason is volunteering for Toys for Tots so families will have a happier Christmas.
thank you
Tweet https://twitter.com/JalapenoMama/status/670276158253043712
My #RedKettleReason is my family. Thank you
My red kettle reason is this time of year can be so tough on families. Everyone should have a little something special during the holidays.
My #RedKettleReason is to help others in need have a happy holiday. I just donated to Toys for Tots and my Publix lets us drop off food to help feed people over the holidays. I just try to do little things like when a store asks you if you want to add a few dollars to your order to give to charity I do it as you never know how much those things help people. Thanks for the contest!
My #RedKettleReason is to make sure that others have enough to enjoy their holiday season. Whether it’s donating food to the food pantry or helping out by volunteering where needed. It feels really good to give back.
My #RedKettleReason is that it is the right thing to do. Not to judge, but to have compassion toward others.
my #redkettlereason is that Christmas is the season for giving! We are blessed to have everything we need, so I want to make sure others can have what they need as well!
My #redkettlereason is to have compassion for all
My #redkettlereason is that this is the season of giving, especially to children. It breaks my heart to think any child has to go without receiving even one gift for Christmas when so many have more than they need.
My Red Kettle Reason #RedKettleReason Is that I want to treat others with kindness and dignity #SweepstakesEntry
https://twitter.com/spillerkustoms/status/670521038040625153
My #RedKettleReason is to provide a little joy to families in need.
Tweet
https://twitter.com/clc408/status/670572052278091776
My #RedKettleReason is doing everything I can for children.
My #RedKettleReason is to give because people have given to us.
My #RedKettleReason is to give because people need joy
https://twitter.com/momknowsbest15/status/670696117642862594
I want to help people in need and make them happy!
https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/670806160015011840
My #RedKettleReason is my daughter.
kport207 at gmail dot com
My #RedKettleReason is because I’ve been very fortunate my whole life and always try to give back to those who have no been. A little kindness goes a long way.
My #RedKettleReason is to help uplift my community!
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/angelftw1/status/671386799151947778
My #RedKettleReason is to let someone else smile.
My #RedKettleReason is my uncle, who got his life together thanks to help from The Salvation Army. When I see those beautiful red kettles at this time of year, I’m always happy to contribute what I can, because I know they’re helping the people who need it the most.
I shared your blog post and The Salvation Army giveaway on Twitter; here’s the link to my tweet:
https://mobile.twitter.com/NotherAnneOther/status/672067270152167425
Thank you!
my #RedKettleReason is my family and friends. Thanks for the giveaway
My #RedKettleReason is that I like helping others.