BLOOMINGTON – The match is back. The Salvation Army is excited to announce that for the third year in a row Bloomington-based Bender Lumber Co. has stepped up to offer a series of matching gifts that could double every dollar dropped into Red Kettles in eight Southern Indiana counties on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving.
On November 25 and 26, Bender Lumber will match dollar-for-dollar cash donations in each community. Bender Lumber has once more increased the challenge, which means that the eight matches could add up to $20,000 in additional funds to support local Salvation Army operations.
Bender Lumber, which was founded in Bloomington in 1931, has stores in Bloomington, Martinsville, Bedford, Paoli, Madison, Columbus, Linton, and Washington. More than fifty Red Kettles in these and other nearby communities will display special signs letting shoppers know that their donations could be doubled thanks to Bender Lumber’s generosity. Each county has its own match amount to help secure extra funds during this critical fundraising period for The Salvation Army.
“Bender Lumber is excited to partner with The Salvation Army through a Red Kettle match on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday in all eight of our store communities,” said Ben Watters, President of Bender Lumber. “The Salvation Army helps so many local families overcome significant economic challenges. Our values align with the values of serving and helping others. In these inflationary times, giving to the Red Kettle on a match day leverages your gifts to go even farther to be a blessing to others.”
Many Red Kettle partners have agreed to host bell ringers earlier than ever, which means that holiday shoppers will have plenty of opportunities to donate. November 19 was the first-day bell ringing at Walmart and Sam’s Club stores, while Red Kettles will make their first appearances at Kroger stores on Black Friday. For shoppers staying home this Christmas, Walmart is also helping out by offering online shoppers on Walmart.com the opportunity to round up their orders to the nearest dollar and donate the extra amount to The Salvation Army.
Shoppers looking for a Red Kettle during the match period will also be able to find bell ringers at local malls, IGA stores, Hobby Lobby, Kroger, Big Lots, Circle K, Save-A-Lot, and many other retail locations. Anyone interested in volunteering to ring a bell this holiday season is invited to visit RegisterToRing.com and find a location, date, and time that works for their schedule.
“This has been a tough year for many Hoosiers across our state, so it lifts my heart to see companies like Bender Lumber step up to help their neighbors in this time of great need,” said Major Marc Johnson, Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army Indiana Division. “I hope that the generosity of Bender Lumber will inspire people to put a little more in the kettle than they might otherwise with the assurance that their donation will make twice the impact. We have all seen the struggles that are faced by Hoosiers every day, and every dollar dropped into a red kettle is put to work to help fight those struggles and bring hope back to people’s lives.”
Every donation given to The Salvation Army through the annual Red Kettle Campaign provides help and hope to those in need, and all gifts stay right here in Indiana.
Visit SalvationArmyIndiana.org to learn more about how you can help The Salvation Army ensure that we can Love Beyond Christmas and continue to help those in need in 2023.
