(Featured photo: Volunteers from Trinity on the Hill youth group help The Salvation Army of Augusta’s Red Kettle Campaign on Dec. 20, 2023. Photo courtesy The Salvation Army of Augusta)
The Salvation Army of Augusta’s Red Kettle Campaign surpassed its fundraising goal by raising $235,236.
“The community’s overwhelming generosity has exceeded the initial target of $225,000, highlighting the unwavering commitment to helping those in need during the holiday season,” according to a Jan. 10 news release from The Salvation Army of Augusta.
Maj. Jonathan Raymer, The Salvation Army of Augusta’s area commander, thanked the community for its support.
“We are incredibly blessed to be able to make a difference in other people’s lives every single day, and a big part of that blessing is doing it in the Augusta community. The generosity of so many volunteering as well as donating makes it possible to make a difference every day. This year we not only hit our goal but exceeded it by $10,000, and that doesn’t happen without an incredibly generous community,” he said in the release.
The annual Red Kettle Campaign is the largest fundraising event of the year for The Salvation Army in Augusta. The Red Kettle Campaign relies on volunteers to ring the bell to raise funds to services assisting the homeless and preventing homelessness in Augusta.
In The Salvation Army’s 2023 fiscal year, which ended October 1, 2023, The Salvation Army placed 164 people into permanent housing who were formerly homeless. In addition, it assisted 697 people to stay in housing through casework and financial assistance thanks largely to funds raised through the Red Kettle campaign, the release said.
“Last year, The Salvation Army of Augusta provided over 28,000 nights of shelter and provided over 73,000 meals at our Soup Kitchen,” said Derek Dugan, Director of Development. “The Red Kettles provide funding for essentials such as food, shelter and clothing but it also provides casework that places people into housing after being homeless. The Red Kettle campaign reaching its goal provides a great start for The Salvation Army being able to serve so many in need in 2024.”
The campaign may be over but the organization continue its work year round and relies on donations, the release said.
Augusta Good News, a member of the Georgia Press Association, is a local, digital newspaper. Subscribe to the newsletter here.
