KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — People heading to some of their favorite stores will start hearing a familiar jingle as the holidays quickly approach.
The Salvation Army of Knoxville announced that its red kettle donation drive started on Friday. During kettle season, volunteers with the Salvation Army stand near a red kettle bucket at spots across East Tennessee, collecting donations.
The Salvation Army said that it housed 123 people through donations from the kettle donation drive.
It said the donation drive started in 1891 when Joseph McFee was looking for way to fund a Christmas dinner for people who couldn't afford one in San Francisco. While thinking of ways to fund the dinners, he thought about when he was a sailor in Liverpool.
He remembered a large, iron kettle at Stage Landing called the "Simson's Pot," which people tossed coins into to help others. So, he passed a similar pot in San Francisco, and soon he had enough money to feed people at Christmas.
People can support the Salvation Army and its Red Kettle donation drive by giving money, giving goods or volunteering.