The Salvation Army’s iconic Red Kettle Campaign is well underway this season, and for the first time it includes a new competition among Massachusetts First Responders: The Red Kettlebell Challenge.
Boston Fire Commissioner Paul F. Burke will be present at The Salvation Army Boston Kroc Center to launch the initiative on Thursday, Thursday, December 14, 2023, starting 10:00 a.m., at The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center 650 Dudley Street, Boston, MA 02125.
Boston Fire Commissioner Paul F. Burke will join firefighters, Kroc Center fitness staff, community members and RJ Kroc — the Kroc Center’s mascot — in lifting red kettlebells to help lift up communities and draw attention to The Salvation Army of Massachusetts’ newest initiative — The Red Kettlebell Challenge.
The Salvation Army Boston Kroc Center is a state-of-the-art, 100,000-square-foot facility with fitness space and community resources all under one roof.
The inaugural Red Kettlebell Challenge provides firefighters, police officers and EMS personnel with an opportunity to show their strength while giving back to the communities they serve — and creates an opportunity to do the most good by empowering participants and community members to challenge more to join in.
Each participating agency has its own Virtual Red Kettle to raise money in support of The Salvation Army’s year-round work providing emergency assistance, feeding the hungry and offering shelter and support to those in need. Teams of first responders commit to one lift of a kettlebell for each dollar raised between now and Salvation Army Red Kettlebell Day on December 23, 2023.
To find out if your local first responders are competing in the challenge, and to donate to their team, please visit here.
“The Salvation Army, through our Emergency Disaster Services, has been partnering with first responders to support our local communities in times of crisis for more than a century, and we are always in search of new ways to lift up our communities,” said Major Scott Kelly, Massachusetts Division General Secretary. “Now, we’re excited to see our police, fire and other community partners and the communities they serve come together to benefit their neighbors in need this Christmas season and beyond!”
With fewer retail stores, coin shortages, and more people shopping online, The Salvation Army is providing communities a new, fun way to support essential programs that help their neighbors through the wide range of social services the organization provides.
Each year, The Salvation Army will serve more than 24 million people across America – including many here in your community. That means over 55 million meals for the hungry, over 10 million nights of shelter for the homeless, and countless Christmas gifts for children who may otherwise go without.
To learn more about the history of the red kettle and the benefits of bell ringing, please visit here.
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About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army annually helps 24 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at over 7,000 centers of operation around the country. During times of disaster, 100 percent of designated donations to The Salvation Army are used for immediate response and long-term efforts. In the first-ever listing of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit.
For more information, please visit SalvationArmyMA.org. Follow us on X @SalvationArmyMA and #DoingTheMostGood.
