Rallying Cry to Join the Fight for Good Issued by The Salvation Army's National Commander
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Nov. 9, 2017) – Fight for the hungry, fight for the homeless and fight for the hopeless. Newly appointed Commissioner David Hudson, National Commander of The Salvation Army, has issued a call for action as the holiday season approaches. As one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the country, with a presence in every ZIP code and a structure akin to the military, The Salvation Army is asking supporters to join the Fight for Good, the official theme of the 2017 Red Kettle Campaign.
“With the holiday season on the horizon, now more than ever we see the challenges of those faced with hardship,” said Commissioner Hudson. “There are families who don’t know where their next meal will come from, parents choosing between Christmas presents and the utility bill, and the recent natural disasters have displaced hundreds of thousands of people who don’t know where they will have a warm bed, if at all. It is more important than ever that we lift others up during the holidays.”
Notable Citizen Soldiers
This year, Commissioner Hudson is joined by a few notable citizen soldiers who have each chosen a battle in the Fight for Good, including legendary professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, Olympian Lolo Jones, trick shot artist Brodie Smith, and social good ambassador and author Chris Strub.
“Millions of children have not experienced the joy of opening a holiday gift or sharing a delicious holiday meal with their family,“ shared Tony Hawk, who is fundraising to make Christmas possible for children this holiday. “it breaks my heart as a father, so I hope to effect change through my partnership with The Salvation Army. It’s important to fight for the less fortunate, and by joining The Salvation Army, you’re on the front lines to spread love and hope to those who need it most.”
Trick shot artist and YouTube phenom Brodie Smith will host a fundraiser to fight for hunger relief and has teamed with professional skateboarder Tony Hawk to raise awareness of the need for donations this holiday with a Red Kettle Skateboarding Trick Shots video that will debut the week of Thanksgiving.
Olympic hurdler and bobsledder Lolo Jones is fighting to keep families safe and warm this Christmas with a fundraiser dedicated to sheltering the homeless. Lolo and her family benefited from The Salvation Army’s shelter programs, and she will make a special appearance on the Steve Harvey TV show to talk about what it means to help others during the holidays.
Finally, author and social good ambassador Chris Strub, who was the first person to livestream from all 50 states, will travel to half of those states during the holiday season to experience firsthand the many faces and challenges of poverty in the United States. Along the 25-state Fight for Good tour, Chris will share updates via his social media platforms (@ChrisStrub) as well as recaps available on his YouTube page.
“As Salvation Army Officers, our job is to fight for those in a vulnerable, uncertain circumstance. The Fight for Good is about marshalling our duty to serve and getting others involved,“ said Lt. Col. Ron Busroe, National Community Relations and Development Secretary. “We want others to experience the rewarding feeling that comes with providing those in need a hand up.”
Join the Fight for Good
Joining the Fight for Good takes four easy steps:
- Visit redkettlereason.org.
- Click “Join the Fight” or scroll to the bottom of the page and join one of our notable citizen soldiers’ fundraisers.
- Specify the community, fundraising goal, and designated cause to support, or simply make a general donation to The Salvation Army.
- Encourage friends and family to donate and start their own fundraising pages.
During the holiday season, more than three million people rely on
The Salvation Army to provide them with a warm meal on Christmas Day or toys for their children. Donating to the Red Kettles also allows the Army to serve nearly 25 million people a year by providing more than 10 million nights of shelter and 56 million meals, along with substance abuse rehabilitation programs, after-school programs, and emergency shelter for children and families in need.
To donate to the 127th Red Kettle Campaign, Americans can also drop dollars and coins into the thousands of Red Kettles found in front of retail stores and on street corners, give any amount by texting KETTLES to 51555, or visit redkettlereason.org.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need without discrimination for more than 135 years in the U.S. Nearly 25 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a range of social services: food for the hungry, relief for disaster survivors, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless, and opportunities for underprivileged children. For every dollar donated to The Salvation Army, 82 cents is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. The Salvation Army tracks the level of need across the country with the Human Needs Index (HumanNeedsIndex.org). For more information, go to SalvationArmyUSA.org or follow on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS.
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