The season of giving is underway, and the Hopkinsville-Christian County Salvation Army is inviting the community to donate to its largest annual fundraiser, the Red Kettle Campaign.
Salvation Army Lieutenants Brittney and David Donegan shared their mission and sparked some friendly competition between civic organizations at Tuesday’s joint Hopkinsville Rotary and Kiwanis Club meeting.
Funds from the campaign will go toward providing shelter, housing, food and other resources to those in need in the community. During 2025, David Donegan says the Salvation Army provided over 39,300 food boxes, over 50,500 hot meals, around 8,600 nights of shelter, nearly 1,700 Christmas gifts and close to 3,500 items of clothing.
During that time, nonprofit also kept 58 families from being evicted from their homes and sent 60 kids to Camp Paradise for some summertime fun.
David Donegan says these numbers represent people who are going through tough times as well as a community that is willing and able to support them.
David Donegan says lately the nonprofit has been receiving more requests for support. He says they have been visited by people who have had to choose between paying for rent or groceries, and others who are just struggling to keep up with the rising costs of goods.
To continue and expand their services, David Donegan says their fundraising goal is $150,000.
To conclude the meeting, the nonprofit hosted a friendly competition between the Rotary Club and the Kiwanis Club to see which organization could raise the most money. Brittney Donegan is a Kiwanian while David Donegan is a Rotarian, so they were both rooting for their respective organizations.
The Rotary Club came out on top, raising $1,000, while the Kiwanis Club raised $619. However, the competition will continue throughout the campaign.
Bellringers and red kettles will be at Food Lion, Kroger, Hobby Lobby, the Walmart Supercenters in Hopkinsville and Oak Grove and Walmart Neighborhood Market. Folks can donate and register to be a bellringer at salvationarmyhopkinsville.org.
The campaign concludes on December 24.