The Salvation Army Celebrates Giving Tuesday and Encourages Supporters to Share Their "Unselfies"

Opportunities to Give Back Can Accommodate Every Schedule and Spread Joy This Holiday Season

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Dec 03, 2013, 07:00 ET

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today marks the second annual Giving Tuesday, a movement to create a national day of giving at the start of the holiday season. The Salvation Army is encouraging supporters to give back today in an effort to focus on giving rather than receiving.

"Giving Tuesday celebrates the spirit of giving and makes it easy for those interested in giving back to help The Salvation Army serve more than 30 million people each year and encourage donors to continue to support the Army," said Major Ron Busroe, community relations and development secretary for The Salvation Army. "This year, the holiday season is five days shorter which means donations are critical. We encourage everyone to take part today by dropping change in a Red Kettle, signing up to host your own Online Red Kettle or by contacting your local Salvation Army to find out how you can get involved."

The Salvation Army will celebrate Giving Tuesday by making appearances on various national news and entertainment programs throughout the day. The Army will also kick off their third annual World Record Bell Ringing Contest, where bell ringers across the country will try to break the current record of 80 consecutive hours of bell ringing. Participants must follow strict rules such as no sitting and no eating throughout the attempt. To stay up to date on the contest, visit blog.salvationarmyusa.org.

To help The Salvation Army celebrate this national day of giving, take an "unselfie" and post it to Twitter, tagging @SalvationArmyUS and using the hashtag #unselfie. An unselfie is a spin on the popular photo style and Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year "selfie" in which supporters post a picture of themselves giving back. The Salvation Army will share their favorite unselfies throughout the day.

Every year, The Salvation Army helps nearly 30 million people in the United States—roughly one person per second. Donations help provide over 10 million nights of shelter; roughly 58 million meals; and programming such as substance abuse recovery, after-school programs, and emergency shelter for children and families in need. During the holiday season, nearly 4.2 million people rely on The Salvation Army to provide their families with a warm meal on Christmas Day or toys for their children. Through The Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program, over 1 million children are provided with necessary items and toys.

To get involved and give back via The Salvation Army this Giving Tuesday, donors can give to the more than 25,000 traditional bell ringers, become a virtual bell ringer by hosting an Online Red Kettle at OnlineRedKettle.org or donate through the Army's text-to-give program. By texting the word "KETTLE" to 80888, donors can send $10 to the Red Kettle Campaign.

Those looking to donate their time have a number of opportunities, from ringing a bell to sorting toys and serving food. Visit SalvationArmyUSA.org to learn more and find a Salvation Army near you.

From its humble beginnings as a program started by a Salvation Army captain in San Francisco in 1891, the Red Kettle Campaign has grown into one of the most recognizable and important charitable campaigns in the United States. It provides toys for kids, coats for the homeless, food for the hungry and countless social service programs year-round. More than 25,000 Salvation Army volunteers throughout the country ring bells and solicit donations to the Red Kettles.

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a range of social services: providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless, and opportunities for underprivileged children. Eighty-two cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to salvationarmyusa.org.

SOURCE The Salvation Army