Bells will be ringing starting Friday as the Salvation Army kicks off their annual Red Kettle campaign across the Twin Cities.
Kettles will return outside of storefronts with a kick-off event at the Minneapolis North Cub Foods location Friday morning.
"That store has an incredible story about what Cub has done with basically rebuilding the store," said Brian Molohon, the Executive Director of Development at The Salvation Army Northern Division.
Molohon, who spoke to WCCO Radio's Steve Simpson during the WCCO Radio Morning News, said Friday's kickoff at Cub Foods also marked the start of a $20,000 match at all kettles placed outside any Cub Foods location.
Last year's holiday season brought questions about what giving would look like, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing. Molohon says Minnesotans were extremely generous, yet again.
"All of our kettles were out and we really pushed our digital giving options," he said. "Every kettle was equipped with QR codes, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other options. That's all the same again this year."
While cash and coin brought in the biggest amounts of money, digital giving was extremely popular in the Twin Cities.
"Our community led the nation, as far as the Salvation Army goes, in our digital giving."
Molohon says their goal this year holiday season is $12 million, with nearly $2 million coming from the kettles.
"Those are the dollars that provide the food shelter and care programs that have been of the charts in terms of demands for services ever since the pandemic began," added Molohon.
The Salvation Army Northern Division begins their 2021 Red Kettle campaign at 10 a.m. Friday.