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2014 Red Kettle campaign begins today; goal is $345K
BOARDMAN
The Youngstown Salvation Army kicked off its 2014 Red Kettle Campaign at a breakfast Thursday provided by Quaker Steak & Lube at 435 Boardman-Poland Road.
Mahoning Valley residents can find the Salvation Army red kettles at area shopping centers from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday through Christmas Eve.
The 2014 campaign fundraising goal is $345,000, said Major Elijah O. Kahn, area coordinator for Salvation Army Mahoning County Area Services.
Last year, the Salvation Army raised $341,554.68 through kettle donations and a special sponsorship program in which local businesses donated $1,000 to sponsor a kettle.
The Rev. Mr. Kahn said this season, the organization is introducing a new program: “Online Red Kettle.” For information or to host an Online Red Kettle, visit www.onlineredkettle.org/northeastohiodivision.
Jeff Muirhead, general manager of Quaker Steak, kicked off the campaign with a $1,000 donation from the company, which has hosted the event for four years.
“This is our way of giving back in communities in which we do business. We hope our donation will encourage and inspire other businesses to give to the Salvation Army of Mahoning County and get involved,” Muirhead said.
Robert Mastriana, chairman of the Salvation Army’s Christmas Committee and an architect with 4M Co., a Boardman architectural firm, asked those in attendance to support the organization’s good work.
All money raised via the red kettles stays in the Valley to help with Salvation Army programs for hunger relief, emergency assistance, senior-citizens programs, education and youth development, seasonal assistance, Christmas gifts, meals, the soup kitchen and food pantry, Mr. Kahn said.