Roseville, Minn. – The Twin Cities Salvation Army is celebrating a huge donation that was dropped into a red kettle in the south metro on Saturday, Dec. 16: a check for $200,000.

“We were stunned and thrilled to have received such a large donation,” said Lt. Colonel Lonneal Richardson, leader of The Salvation Army Northern Division. “This gift comes at a critical time for The Salvation Army.”

With six days to go in the kettle season, donations are running about 10 percent behind last year’s numbers. A winter storm forecast to hit later this week could hamper giving even more.

“This $200,000 donation gives us a much needed boost,” added Richardson. “We hope it will inspire others to give as generously as they can to help us reach our Christmas fundraising goal.”

The Twin Cities Salvation Army has a goal of raising $11.7 million by the end of the year, to help fund its programs year-round. Programs that provide life-sustaining support to tens of thousands of our community’s most vulnerable families and individuals.

The $200,000 donor asked to remain anonymous, and The Salvation Army is committed to honoring our donors’ wishes.

Poverty is an everyday battle. People experiencing poverty are not without hope – their lives are just harder than they should be. The Salvation Army is helping to make their lives a little easier, thanks to your gifts of time and money. Join us in the fight for good by giving online or donating at a red kettle, becoming a volunteer bell ringer, or recruiting your own army as a fundraiser on RedKettleReason.org. Learn more about how The Salvation Army fights poverty in your community.