CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Salvation Army still has more than a week left in its annual Red Kettle fundraising campaign and it's finding some people adopting nicely to new “cashless” option on the street.
All this season, for the first time ever, not having cash does not have to be an obstacle for making a donation at a Salvation Army Red Kettle.
Now, you can use Apple Pay or Google Wallet from your smartphone. Salvation Army spokeswoman Jackie Rachev said so far, there have been 251 donations made that way totaling $1,600.
She said the Salvation Army is "quite encouraged" considering this is the first year the option is being offered.
Rachev said, nationally, about $50,000 has been donated through the cashless option.
She said donors just need to put their phones against the cashless sign attached to Red Kettles and choose an amount. She said one person downtown donated $500 that way.
"It’s a really safe way to make a donation at the Red Kettle and still being part of this amazing tradition of never passing a Red Kettle by," Rachev said.
Rachev said that as for the overall Red Kettle program, donations are down this year. She said that's due, in large part, to the Christmas season being five or six days shorter.