Non-profit giving arm of Mississippi-based telecom, tech provider makes $5,000 matching giftin effort to boost donations for the charity’s iconic Red Kettle community fundraising program
Jackson, Miss. - (December 20, 2016) – The non-profit arm of C Spire is stepping up to help The Salvation Army raise the funds it needs to help finance year-round programs and services for the poor and needy with a special $5,000 matching gift for the charity’s iconic Red Kettle holiday giving campaign.
The C Spire Foundation hopes the gift will help boost the charity’s Red Kettle holiday giving program in Central Mississippi, which needs a strong finish in the next few days to achieve its $500,000 fundraising goal this year.
The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign is a hallmark of the holidays and the largest annual fundraiser with proceeds used to support a variety of year-round programs and services for the poor and needy, including food, clothing, temporary shelter, utility assistance, disaster relief and life-skill and character building programs.
During the last five weeks, volunteers have logged over 2,500 hours of singing and ringing bells at up to 59 Red Kettle donation sites in front of local malls, stores and businesses throughout the metropolitan area – a vivid reminder that the holiday season is as much about giving as about receiving.
While a recent spate of rain in late November and early December has put a damper on overall giving, volunteers and Salvation Army officials hope the C Spire matching gift will spur businesses and consumers to help support the important work that the non-profit performs by giving at designated Red Kettle locations throughout the area.
“It’s an important time of the year in the communities we serve as individuals focus on giving to those in need,” said Lt. Matt Hedgren, regional commander for The Salvation Army in Jackson. “It takes an army of volunteers and business partners like C Spire to help us communicate the significance of responding at this time of year.”
For the last two years, C Spire has partnered with The Salvation Army on a groundbreaking technology initiative that gives consumers the option to make credit and debit card donations at up to 10 Red Kettle locations – thanks to the availability of giving station kiosks equipped with tablets and connected to C Spire’s mobile broadband network through secure e-readers and swipe technology.
Salvation Army representatives said a 2014 technology trial demonstrated that consumers and shoppers like the convenience of credit card donations. As part of the trial, C Spire donated 20 smartphones and tablets and provided mobile broadband service along with funds used to purchase secure e-readers that accept credit and debit card charges.
“We’re pleased to continue our support for the Salvation Army, an organization that is making a difference in the communities we serve,” said Jim Richmond, vice president of Corporate Communications for C Spire. “As a company that gets its inspiration from our customers, we’re excited to play a small part in helping change people’s lives.”
The six-week Red Kettle campaign officially began on Nov. 11 and will continue through Saturday (Dec. 24). To volunteer or donate to one of the Christian charity’s holiday programs, contact the Salvation Army at (601) 982-4881, ext. 115.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is an evangelical arm of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from the non-profit charity through several social service programs, including food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for disabled persons, outreach to elderly and ill persons, shelter for homeless persons and opportunities for disadvantaged children. 82 cents of every dollar the Salvation Army spends is used to support services in over 5,000 communities nationwide, including the Jackson metropolitan area. For more information about the Salvation Army of Jackson Corps, visit salvationarmyalm.org/jackson/.
About C Spire Foundation
C Spire, a diversified telecommunications and technology services company, is passionately committed to supporting education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its philanthropic initiatives, partnerships and employee volunteerism, C Spire and the private, non-profit C Spire Foundation support projects, programs and partnerships that create opportunities, make connections and address community needs where our customers and employees live and work. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.cspire.com/foundation.
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