As you might have heard, ’tis the season for giving. Don’t have a lot of extra money for charity, though? That’s okay. The Salvation Army loves pocket change — the pennies, nickels and dimes really do add up.
No one knows that better than the iconic Red Kettle bell ringers. We’ve all seen them outside local stores, but can you tell the difference between a volunteer and a paid ringer? If you lifted the kettle you’d be able to, says Matthew Pochily, spokesperson for the Tidewater Region Salvation Army in Virginia.
Volunteers there bring in two to three times more money during this, the biggest fundraiser of the year for the nonprofit. Last year, locals donated more than $320,000 from early November to Christmas Eve thanks in large part to volunteer support.
“I think volunteers raise more money because they’re not doing it for the money,” says Pochily, pointing out that there are around 50 kettle locations in the Tidewater area, manned by 400 volunteers and 50 paid ringers. “They’ve often seen our work first hand and want to raise as much as they can to support our programs and services. Therefore, they tend to be more energetic and enthusiastic.”
Another secret to getting you to donate the change in your pocket? Hearing laughter. “With volunteers, they often bring friends and co-workers with them.” The more the merrier.
Photo courtesy of the Tidewater Region Salvation Army.