The Salvation Army kicked off its Red Kettle season on Friday. Bell ringers will collect spare change until Christmas Eve at 62 locations throughout metro Des Moines, and at many locations around Iowa.
The Christian charity organization hopes to raise $1.1 million over the next month in central Iowa. The drive generates about 40-percent of its overall budget. Last year's kettle drive was disappointing, and the Salvation Army had to dip into rainy-day reserves.
"2014 was a very miserable year for the Salvation Army," says James Beardsley, who heads the organization's Des Moines office. "We had less volunteers coming in and we had to pay for more of the bell ringers."
The Salvation Army serves the community in a variety of ways including housing, hunger relief, veteran, and elder services. The Salvation Army also provides Christmas assistance and prison ministries.