Salvation Army kicks off Christmas season

TYLER — The Tyler Salvation Army held its Christmas kickoff Friday at Broadway Square mall, launching the agency’s Kettle and Angel Tree season. This holiday season, 43 locations will be hosting the red kettle as volunteers ring a bell to raise money for the Salvation Army, with the goal set at $370,000. This year, each kettle stand will have a QR Code and an NFC tag, which will allow donors to use Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, and PayPal rather than dropping cash or coins in the kettle. With over 12,000 hours to be filled, Salvation Army staffers say volunteers are greatly needed from November 29 thru December 24.

Residents are also encouraged to help out with the Angel Tree, which provides Christmas gifts for the needy. Last month, The Salvation Army registered over 2,000 children and seniors for gifts for this holiday season. Click here for more information.