Charitable shoppers drop donations inside Salvation Army’s Red Kettle outside Broadway Square Mall.

For many, the Christmas season is a time of lights and presents. For others, it’s a time of cold weather without a place to stay. The Salvation Army is one of many organizations dedicated to helping the homeless and needy, and with the season comes the Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign.

Every year, Salvation Army volunteers are assigned different storefronts and public areas to stand and ring a bell beside a red bucket in hopes that charitable pedestrians will drop a donation in the bucket.

“Salvation Army rings a bell on practically every street corner, in every state all through the United States,” Tyler Salvation Army director of development Cindy Bell said. “Volunteers ring the bell, and they really do bring the joy to everyone that passes bye. They always say hello and wish people a Merry Christmas.”

However, due to the pandemic, volunteers to fill the locations are in short supply.

Sharon Brewer, a first-year volunteer, stood in front of the entrance to Broadway Square Mall in Tyler on Monday, shivering as she rang her bell.

“It’s a beautiful day, but boy it’s cold,” Brewer laughed.

Brewer said that when she found out the organization needed people to ring bells and collect donations, she jumped on the opportunity.

“Because of COVID, we really had a hard time filling the slots. I typically work, but I took the day off so I could do this and some other things,” Brewer said. “We just didn’t have the people that are usually available.”

For Brewer, volunteering with the Salvation Army is important because the funds that are donated stay in the local community.

“I know the lady’s auxiliary does a lot of work for people that are in need. This is going to go to food, and shelter,” she said.

But more than helping others, Brewer said volunteering fills her heart with joy.

“Bell ringing is a blessing,” Brewer said. “You get to see people, you get to actually say ‘Merry Christmas’ and wish them a good holiday. That may be the only time they get that all day.”

Not only are volunteers in short supply, but so are donations, and the number of people that the Salvation Army is serving has increased drastically.

“This year, many people who would be giving donations to us are now standing in line at our offices, asking for help; and they’ve never had to do that before,” Bell said.

Bell said that the money raised from the Red Kettle Campaign not only goes to Christmas efforts for the non-profit, but also helps them operate throughout the year.

“We meet needs without discrimination,” Bell said. “We host a 200-bed facility, we house men, women, and children with a place to stay and with three meals a day. We operate a food pantry to assist anyone in the community who is having a hard time, so they don’t have to spend their money on groceries. We also help with rent assistance, utilities, and we operate a senior living low-income apartment complex.”

Bell said that the Salvation Army also hosts an alcohol and drug recovery program.

“That serves probably more than 100 individuals each year,” Bell said. “That’s an in-house, no-cost-to-them program.”

With the Salvation Army having to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and social distancing protocols, Bell said the organization has had a challenge helping the same number of people

“The men’s section usually housed four men to a room,” Bell said. “That’s been reduced by half, and the men have to sleep head-to-toe. Our dining room, instead of seating 200 per meal, we’ve changed it to serve about 60, and we’ve spaced people out. Families can still eat together, but others are spaced out.”

Bell said if there’s one thing the public can do to help, it’s donate to the cause.

“We need your donations desperately,” Bell said. “COVID has been a struggle, we’ve had to cancel many events that make money for us. Our store shut down, which is a big revenue for us. Tuesday is giving Tuesday, a great day to give a donation at the end of the year. Help us rescue Christmas. There’s a lot of people in need. There’s a lot of hurting people.”

Other ways that people can get involved is by giving donations for the Salvation Army’s pantry or by providing hygiene items for the shelter residents. Or, those interested can sign up to ring the bell themselves at RegisterToRing.com.

Those who would like to host a virtual Red Kettle drive can visit RedKettleChallenge.org