CLAY COUNTY – Holiday traditions abound – including the sound of ringing bells, whether decorative sleigh and jingle bells or hand-held red kettle bells – all reminders of the joy of the season and the real reason of giving hope and giving back to those in need.

For the Salvation Army’s world-wide mission of helping people experiencing hard-times, the sound of bells and coins dropping into kettles means providing a holiday to those who would not have one and so much more.

For more than 125 years, donations from the Red Kettle Campaign, one of the oldest annual charitable fundraisers of its kind in the United States, has made it possible for people and businesses in their community to help struggling residents with temporary shelter, clothing, food and countless social services throughout the year.

Locally, the Salvation Army of Clay County helps those in need during the holidays through the distribution of Thanksgiving food baskets containing everything needed to make a traditional dinner, Christmas food baskets with baked goods and small gifts, and through the Angel Tree program where local folks make dreams a reality by providing new toys and clothing requested by the underprivileged children or “angels.”

It’s a melodious time in so many ways! For decades the Salvation Army’s Clay Corps unit actually kicks-off the holiday season here in mid-November with a parade featuring their brass band and the arrival of Santa Claus. As the Corps band members march in the parade outside Orange Park Mall, participating children helped escort Santa to his official post in the mall.

As celebratory as all the playing of holiday tunes and ringing of bells are, the monies raised during the Red Kettle Campaign is of major importance in providing funds so the SA can help the needy in our area, not just during the holidays but year-long.

According to the SACC, the Red Kettle Campaign raised $117,000 last year and $173,000 in 2017, down in 2018 because of a later start at prime red kettle locations. With the advent this year of digital donations through Apple Pay and Google Pay making it even easier to give, SACC staff are hoping for an uptick in funds received.

To donate digitally at the red kettle locations, shoppers simply swipe a customer donation poster containing a smart chip and QR codes. Donations will go to the local Salvation Army unit based on the giver’s billing ZIP code and will receive an electronic receipt for their records.

In Clay County, you can find volunteer-manned red kettles and corresponding digital posters at 28 doors including all area Walmarts, Publix, Winn-Dixie and at the Orange Park Mall and Sam’s Club. You can also give on-line at Give.SalvationArmyUSA.org or via your phone by texting "KETTLE" to 91999.

If you’d like to also give your time, as well, as a bell-ringer, that’s easy and always needed. Although various local groups volunteer to man the kettles every year, such as students from Ridgeview High School’s ROTC, the Clay County unit could still use more. Sign-up to ring that bell at registertoring.com.

Right now, your contributions to the Red Kettle Campaign also aids in the purchase of gifts for the Angel Tree program. In Clay County, this program not only provides new toys and clothing to homeless and underprivileged children age 12 and under whose families have signed-up, but also provides food and needed items to qualifying seniors age 60 and older and to selected families of the incarcerated. All of these folks have applied before annual deadlines and have met the criteria of living 30% below the poverty guideline.

“I am always touched at the wonderful generosity of our residents, year after year, being the true angels that make the children’s holiday wishes come true,” said Jennifer Wheeler, Social Service and Food Pantry Manager, SACC.

This year 400 children are part of the Angel Tree Program, along with special angel trees for qualifying seniors, kids of the incarcerated and any forgotten angels, according to Wheeler. Locals can still make a child’s holiday by taking an angel tag from two “public” trees – either in Orange Park Mall or at Sonny’s BBQ on Kingsley Avenue.

Other angel trees are company sponsored by local businesses whose employees have contributed to the program for years and are to be commended for their generosity. These sponsors include: Orange Park Medical Center, Parallon Business Solutions, KBR, the Clay County District of Public Safety, the Moose Haven Lodge, the Soaring Eagles, Santioni’s Italian Restaurant in Fleming Island, Orange Park Presbyterian Church, Lake Asbury Baptist Church, Kirkwood Presbyterian Church, Fleming Island United Methodist Church, Penney Retirement Community, the Shakuntala family, the Orange Park National Honor Society and the Clay County School District.

Registration to have a child included in the Angel Tree program takes place each September, so families should make plans to apply at that time next year. A few exceptions can be made in emergency situations, according to Wheeler. This year, Angel Tree gifts are due this week at the SACC warehouse on 2795 County Road 220 in Middleburg.

“The importance of the community’s support is vital to the success of the Angel Tree as well as all the ways we help the local underserved,” explained Major Phillip Irish, Salvation Army of Clay County Corps Officer.

At the heart of the Salvation Army is service which is why kettle donations given now are so vital in providing year-long help to those struggling to overcome – whether with unemployment, unstable housing, or lack of education or basic skills, the Salvation Army starts families down the path toward increased stability and self-sufficiency.

“The need does not go away, your donations are appreciated and they not only support our Thanksgiving and Christmas programs, but other programs throughout the entire year such as youth programs, food outreach, emergency financial services and emergency disaster services,” said Major Irish. “To meet human needs without discrimination.”

At the SACC, donations provide qualified Clay County residents food staples through the Food Pantry (open each week on Tuesdays and Thursdays), rent and utility assistance and emergency disaster relief. In 2018, SACC assisted 31,000 families through the food pantry and helped many more suddenly homeless-after-natural-disaster folks throughout Florida providing canteens with warm food, portable showers, spiritual relief, gift cards, and cleaning supplies.

“We like to partner with churches and businesses to serve those in need and one of the biggest areas is teaching job skills to those who are receiving financial aid and food through the pantry,” said Wheeler.

There are special programs geared toward seniors 60 and older and teens in the area. The SACC monthly senior outreach brings food and toiletries to home-bound and low-income seniors. The Youth Program focuses on character building and teaching community and life skills to teens from junior to senior high.

The Salvation Army church sponsors youth bible study for the underserved in Clay County that includes dinner and character-building classes on Wednesday nights, and a school of performing arts for youth up to age 18 on Thursdays. Here, students can learn dance, drums, guitar and piano and show off their talents with semester recitals. Every Friday night focuses on life skills including basic cooking, car maintenance and how to keep a budget. These same teens give back to the community by having “play” dates that clean-up trash along 220 and visit assisted-living homes.

Wheeler is excited about continually expanding the SACC programs. “We are working with teachers, behavioral health agencies and local non-profits to discuss future programs for the current needs that we are seeing,” said Wheeler. “Mentoring for at risk grades K-12, budgeting programs for grades 6th-12, prison ministry for recently released, and job shadowing programs to enhance job skills are what we’re planning for now.”

From Angle Tree to Stuff the Bus to Empty Bowls coming up next April, the SACC takes an active role in many events throughout the year and it’s mainly because of volunteers’ help. The SACC just wrapped up another successful holiday can food drive with Clay County schools that will stock the pantry.

“From giving out food at the food bank to distributing filled back-packs for Stuff the Bus, nothing would happen without so many wonderful volunteers,” said Wheeler. She sites that on the average, volunteers provide 5,433 hours of service with the food bank or other special causes, not including the kettle campaign.

The SACC also counts on help from folks with developmental disabilities, including individuals and groups from BASCA, Inc. (Building Abilities of Special Children and Adults), who practice job and social skills while volunteering in the office and food pantry. A win-win for all.

Hopefully, the melodies of the season and ringing of bells will remind all of us to give a little more to the Salvation Army of Clay County this year, realizing all the good they do for our community. And giving to less fortunate folks now helps continue services that any of us could need in the future.