Salvation Army, East Stroudsburg Corps. Christmas Kettle Gala

(EAST STROUDSBURG, PA - DECEMBER 2016)  - The Christmas season is a time for sharing with family and friends but for many, the continued jobless rate, economic uncertainty, and realities of life continue to make it difficult to make ends meet. The Salvation Army in East Stroudsburg continues to bring hope to hundreds of local families in Monroe County who desperately need a helping hand. James Gingrich, commanding officer of the East Stroudsburg Salvation Army said, “As we have done for well over 150 years in America, The Salvation Army will provide food, clothing, and emergency assistance at Christmas time to people in real need in our community. We are once again tasked with raising $150,000 to accomplish this, and have started our annual Christmas Kettle Campaign to raise funds for our ever expanding requests for help.”

            Knowing the great needs of the East Stroudsburg Salvation Army, local business owners Charlie and Vincent Trapasso approached Major Gingrich and the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army three years ago and offered to help by donating their Desaki Restaurant to the Red Kettle Gala with this year’s event being held on Friday, December 2, 2016. Gingrich continues, “The Trapasso’s offer two years ago resulted in a contribution in excess of $50,000 thus far towards the Red Kettle Campaign in Monroe County. Their generosity of hosting the event at no expense to the Salvation Army, along with serving on the event committee, is both gracious and incredibly benevolent.” The evening will include a social hour, hors d’oeuvres, surf and turf dinner, dessert, and dancing for $125 per person with all proceeds benefitting the East Stroudsburg Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign.

“Traditionally, The Salvation Army’s bell ringers generate a large percentage of the community-wide support needed for our feeding and sheltering programs. We are thankful the Trapasso’s have once again offered to help us achieve our goal. Our Kettle Season is fast approaching and every penny we raise makes a significant difference in the lives of those most in need in Monroe County,” Gingrich said. 

The majority of the Salvation Army’s local programs such as food baskets, hot meals, nights of shelter, rental assistance, clothing, Christmas toys for children, nursing home visitation, and emergency disaster service response rely directly on community support and giving. Gingrich concludes, “We are more determined than ever to help our neighbors bridge the gap between their resources and the cost of acquiring basic human needs. Due to cuts in funding, we will see a shortfall this year in our general operating budget. To make up for that, we are asking friends and neighbors for help in the form of cash contributions, donations of time to ringing bells this holiday season and to join us at the Red Kettle Gala on December 2 at the Garden Room of Desaki Restaurant.”

For information about the Monroe County Salvation Army’s programs, to request a Kettle to be placed at your business, reserve a table and purchase an ad in the program for the Red Kettle Gala or to volunteer to be a ringer, please call the Salvation Army, East Stroudsburg Corps. at (570) 421-3050. Desaki Restaurant is located on Route 611 in Swiftwater, PA.

About The Salvation Army in Monroe County

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to carry out those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyeaststroudsburg.org

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Contact: Major James Gingrich – 570-421-3050 – 10/12/16 james.gingrich@use.salvationarmy.org