Red Kettle Annual Fund Raising Camapign (Bell Ringers)

Red Kettle History

In 1891, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee was distraught because so many poor individuals in San Francisco were going hungry. During the holiday season, he resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner for the destitute and poverty-stricken. He only had one major hurdle to overcome -- funding the project.

Where would the money come from, he wondered. He lay awake nights, worrying, thinking, praying about how he could find the funds to fulfill his commitment of feeding 1,000 of the city's poorest individuals on Christmas Day. As he pondered the issue, his thoughts drifted back to his sailor days in Liverpool, England. He remembered how at Stage Landing, where the boats came in, there was a large, iron kettle called "Simpson's Pot" into which passers-by tossed a coin or two to help the poor.

The next day Captain McFee placed a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street. Beside the pot, he placed a sign that read, "Keep the Pot Boiling." He soon had the money to see that the needy people were properly fed at Christmas.

Six years later, the kettle idea spread from the west coast to the Boston area. That year, the combined effort nationwide resulted in 150,000 Christmas dinners for the needy. In 1901, kettle contributions in New York City provided funds for the first mammoth sit-down dinner in Madison Square Garden, a custom that continued for many years. Today in the U.S., The Salvation Army assists more than four-and-a-half million people during the Thanksgiving and Christmas time periods.

Captain McFee's kettle idea launched a tradition that has spread not only throughout the United States, but all across the world. Kettles are now used in such distant lands as Korea, Japan, Chile and many European countries. Everywhere, public contributions to Salvation Army kettles enable the organization to continue its year-round efforts at helping those who would otherwise be forgotten.

Locally, in Ottawa, the money raised between November 14 and December 24 will go to provide food, shelter, youth programs, social services and disaster services throughout the coming year, not just at Christmas. The Salvation Army is humbled by the support of all who put their pennies, nickels, dimes and dollars in the red kettle. The Red Kettle Campaign is a crucial fundraising period for us, and the support we receive will help us continue to provide services to in need throughout the coming year.

 We are looking for volunteers willing to give 60 minutes of their time to stand the kettle. At times it may look chilly, but bell ringing is actually pretty easy. One hour of bell ringing raises enough money to provide a family in need with two bags of groceries. The bell ringing season starts in November and runs through the Christmas Eve, but you can sign up now. Call The Salvation Army at 815-433-0798 to sign up.