$706K Raised in Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign

The Salvation Army—Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division reports on Monday, April 15, 2019, that $706,555 was raised across Hawai‘i and the Pacific Islands via their annual Red Kettle campaign and 31,188 Angel Tree gifts were distributed during the 2018 holiday season. A final push by Red Kettle donors just before Christmas helped match the total raised in kettles during the previous 2017 holiday season.

In addition, Central Pacific Bank collected more than $190,000 in monetary and gift donations for the Angel Tree program. Hawai‘i News Now also supported the Angel Tree effort. And, Burger King Hawa‘ii, in partnership with Aloha United Way, collected more than $6,500 in monetary donations to support the keiki portion of the program.

“We are grateful to the many Hawai‘i and Pacific Island residents and visitors for their support last holiday season,” said Major Jeff Martin, divisional leader for The Salvation Army – Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division. “Monetary donations in our Red Kettles supported our social service programs and the generous monetary gifts and in-kind donations to our Angle Tree program provided many smiles for keiki and kupuna on Christmas morning.”

The Salvation Army provided approximately 5,000 Thanksgiving holiday meals through annual meal events at locations statewide from Hanapepe to Honoka‘a, including the 48th annual Thanksgiving Meal at Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall in Honolulu for approximately 2,000 guests. And, thanks to the generosity of Hawai‘i’s own Bruno Mars, The Salvation Army provided an additional 24,000 individuals with Thanksgiving holiday meals through their ‘Share a Holiday Feast’ partnership with Foodland.

In recapping the 2018 holiday season, Major Martin continued, “In particular, we’d like to thank our volunteers and employees for serving as bell ringers, Angel Tree gift sorters and gatherers, and as Thanksgiving meal volunteers across the state. Local retailers and businesses also provided space for our red kettles. In addition, we’re grateful for Angel Tree support by Central Pacific Bank with trees in all of their branches, for Aloha United Way’s partnership with Burger King Hawai‘i for register donations for keiki gifts, and for the many Angel Trees set up at many major malls, retailers, and local businesses around the state.”