Salvation Army Kettle Campaign Gets Underway at Holyoke Mall

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Mall welcomes the Salvation Army back to the shopping center for another holiday season with both its Red Kettle Campaign and its Angel Giving Tree.

Volunteer bell ringers can be seen at various entrances to the mall, collecting much-needed donations through Dec. 24. In addition, the Angel Giving Tree is set up on the upper level near AT&T. Guests can pull a tag from the tree and purchase the gift requested by a child. Toys, clothes, and other gifts purchased can then be delivered along with the tag to the Salvation Army’s Holyoke Corps Community Center located at 271 Appleton St.

The money raised during the Red Kettle Campaign is a critical source of funding for vital programs and services for tens of thousands of families, youth, and senior citizens in Holyoke, Chicopee, South Hadley, Granby, and across Massachusetts each year. This includes Christmas toys and other holiday support for those in need, along with funding for food pantries, soup kitchens, social services, and education programs.

“Giving back to the communities we serve, particularly in times of greater need, is incredibly important to Pyramid Management Group and the guests who graciously choose to donate every holiday season at our properties,” said Stephen Congel, CEO of Pyramid Management Group. “We are honored to continue this important tradition and partnership with the Salvation Army and provide our guests with an opportunity to give back in a manner that’s safe for everyone. The partnership is especially meaningful to our guests since the funds raised at each one of our centers remains in the communities they were donated.”

In 2019, the Red Kettle campaign at Holyoke Mall raised more than $23,000. Due to COVID-19, requests for Salvation Army services are at an all-time high, while donations to the Red Kettle are expected to be down by more than 50%. To make the donation process safer this holiday season, all red kettles are equipped with NFC technology, accepting Apple Pay and Google Pay. The Salvation Army has adopted nationally mandated safety protocols and implemented training around cleaning and sanitizing the red kettles.

Donors can also set up their own virtual kettle at salvationarmyma.org/rescuechristmas if they prefer to donate online. Digital donations through Apple Pay and Google Pay are also strongly encouraged to cut down on points of contact.