Monroe County Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Gala

(EAST STROUDSBURG, PA - DECEMBER 2014) - The Christmas season is a time for sharing with family and friends but for many, the realities of life with economic hard times and poverty simply make it even more difficult to make ends meet. This holiday season, The Salvation Army in Monroe County will bring hope to hundreds of local families who desperately need a helping hand. James Gingrich, commanding officer of the Monroe County 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 Christmastime to people in real need in our community. We are tasked with raising $150,000 to accomplish this, and have started our annual Christmas Campaign to raise funds for our ever expanding requests for help."

Knowing the great needs of the Monroe County Salvation Army, local business owners Vincent and Charlie Trapasso approached Major Gingrich and the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army and offered to help by donating the use of their Desaki Restaurant to host the first ever Red Kettle Gala to be held on Friday, December 5, 2014 at no expense to the Corps. Gingrich continues, "The Trapassos benevolent offer could result in a significant contribution towards this season's Christmas Campaign." The evening will include a social hour, hors d'oeuvres, surf and turf dinner, dessert and dancing for $100 per person with all proceeds benefitting the Monroe County Salvation Army.

"Traditionally, the Salvation Army's bell ringers generate a large percentage of the community-wide support needed for our feeding and sheltering programs. Last year, we were heavily impacted with a decline in giving to the Kettles of over 20%. We are thankful the Trapassos have come forward to help us make up that shortfall. Our Kettle Season is now in full swing 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 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. For that, we are asking friends and neighbors for help in the form of cash donations to the Kettle campaign and to join us at the Red Kettle Gala on December 5 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 or purchase an ad in the program for the Red Kettle Gala, to volunteer to be a ringer, please call the Salvation Army at (570) 421-3050. Desaki Restaurant is located on Route 611 in Swiftwater, PA. Reservations for the event can be made by calling the Salvation Army.

 

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 - 11/18/14 - james.gingrich@use.salvationarmy.org