Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Online Red Kettle campaign?
What type of Online Red Kettles are offered?
Is there a registration fee to participate?
How do people receive tax receipts for their online donation?
How difficult is it to raise money online?
How do I send out emails? How do I get others to make an online donation into my Online Red Kettle?
I would like to send my invitations to help fill my Online Red Kettle. Can I use my own email account? (i.e., Yahoo!, Gmail, Lotus Notes or Outlook)
After I send out my first messages or after I start receiving donations to my Online Red Kettle, can I send out more emails?
I know of someone who told me they made an online donation to help fill my Online Red Kettle, yet their donation is not reflected on my Red Kettle Page. What do I do?
I can't log in, or I forgot my User Name or Password - now what?
Should I send out my own "thank you" every time a donation is made to my Online Red Kettle?
Should I customize my own Online Red Kettle Page?
What is the difference between a Team Kettle and a Company Kettle?
What should I do if someone gives me cash or a check in lieu of an online donation?
What should I do if I am asked to download or install anything?

What is the Online Red Kettle campaign?
The Salvation Army Red Kettles have been an American tradition since 1891, and now this campaign allows you to host your own Online Red Kettle. By helping us fill our Red Kettles, you can become a vital part of our Christmas efforts to help those in need this Christmas season.

What type of Online Red Kettles are offered?
Individual Kettle - Host your own personal Online Red Kettle, then invite others via email and various fundraising tools to fill your kettle with online donations. A running count of kettle donations appears on the host’s Individual Kettle Page.

Team Kettle - Host a fundraising team made up of several individual Online Red Kettles. All kettle donations appearing under each member’s individual kettle are pooled together and automatically reflected on the Team Kettle Page. Donations may be made to the Team Kettle or to any of the Individual Kettle members that make up the team.

Company Kettle - Host a fundraising team made up of several team kettles in a co-branded environment with The Salvation Army. A link to your online Company Kettle Page is automatically emailed to you when you register, which you can place on your internet/intranet site or email to your employees, vendors, customers, etc. The amount of money collected in your Company Kettle and in each Team Kettle will be reflected in real time on the Company Kettle Page. The only option an employee, vendor or customer has from a Company Kettle Page is to make an online donation into one of the Company Team Kettles.

Is there a registration fee to participate?
No. We don’t charge a registration fee to participate in The Salvation Army’s Online Red Kettle campaign. We are truly grateful for those who decide to host their own Online Red Kettle and raise much-needed funds on our behalf.

How do people receive tax receipts for their online donation?
The system automatically generates an e-gift acknowledgment and sends it via email to the address provided when the online gift is made. This receipt is generated in a PDF format that can be printed for the donor’s tax purposes.

How difficult is it to raise money online?
Not at all! Using our tools, you can build a personal Online Red Kettle page, upload an address book, and send email invitations and download widgets that encourage family, friends and colleagues to make online donations to help you meet your goal.

How do I send out emails? How do I get others to make an online donation into my Online Red Kettle?
Simply log in to your kettle account page using your User Name and Password. From there, you can send out personal emails with the unique web address of your Online Red Kettle to family, friends, etc., and they can begin making online donations. You can also download various tools to use on a personal website or blog that will direct them to your Online Red Kettle.

I would like to send my invitations to help fill my Online Red Kettle. Can I use my own email account? (i.e., Yahoo!, Gmail, Lotus Notes or Outlook)
Yes. You can bypass our online tools and send email invitations through your own email account if you prefer. Just send one email to yourself using the steps outlined above and then forward that email to everyone in your address book using your own Yahoo!, Gmail, Lotus Notes or Outlook account.

When doing so, you should include the unique web address of your Online Red Kettle so that your family, friends and colleagues can respond in the most direct manner possible.

After I send out my first messages or after I start receiving donations to my Online Red Kettle, can I send out more emails?
Sure! We encourage you to send out many messages telling everyone you know about why you are supporting The Salvation Army by ringing a virtual bell.

I know of someone who told me they made an online donation to help fill my Online Red Kettle, yet their donation is not reflected on my Red Kettle Page. What do I do?
Simply send us an email and provide us with your name and the donor’s name, and we’ll be happy to make this adjustment for you.

I can't log in, or I forgot my User Name or Password - now what?
If you've forgotten your User Name, try checking the confirmation email we sent you when you registered - it’s in that email. If you can't find your confirmation email or need us to resend your User Name, please contact us via email.

If you've forgotten your Password, you can reset it yourself by going to our Start Page and clicking on the link just below the Log in button.

If you need additional User Name and/or Password assistance, please contact us via email.

Should I send out my own "thank you" every time a donation is made to my Online Red Kettle?
An automatic thank-you email from you to anyone who makes an online donation to your Online Red Kettle will be sent. However, if you’d like to send a personal note, card, etc., please do.

Should I customize my own Online Red Kettle Page?
This is totally optional. However, it may be fun to use your own image and/or message so that others will immediately recognize your efforts on behalf of The Salvation Army.

What is the difference between a Team Kettle and a Company Kettle?
A Team Kettle is made up of Individual Kettles. Potential donors have two options from this page: 1) become a member of the Team and host an Individual Kettle or 2) make a donation to the Team Kettle.

A Company Kettle is made up of Team Kettles. The only option an employee, vendor or customer has from a Company Kettle Page is to make an online donation to one of the Team Kettles within this Company. However, they can search for a Team Kettle from this page (and subsequently an Individual Kettle) and donate that way, too.

What should I do if someone gives me cash or a check in lieu of an online donation?
Please encourage them to make an online donation instead. If they prefer to give only by cash or check, please ask them to send these gifts to The Salvation Army unit closest to them. To find out the address of The Salvation Army nearest you, contact us via email.

What should I do if I am asked to download or install anything?
We will never ask you to download or install any application to host or fill an Online Red Kettle or donate to The Salvation Army.