CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign County Salvation Army has announced the start of their annual Red Kettle Campaign, raising funds for vital social programming in the community.

This season’s funding goal is $470,000, and the proceeds will go to feeding the hungry, providing aid to the homeless shelter and to local veterans, providing Christmas gifts to families struggling to make ends meet and so much more.

There will be a total of 90 red kettles in Champaign County. 60 of those will be mini kettles located at local businesses. The other 30 will be full-sized and manned by bell ringers Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until December 23, 2023.

This year marks 132 years that Champaign County has taken part in the tradition.

“Families in our communities are struggling and faced with making the tough decision between paying the bills, putting food on the table and buying Christmas gifts for their kids,” said Captain Kenyon Sivels, a Champaign County Corps Officer. “It’s all our responsibility to lend a helping hand to our neighbors in crisis.”

If you would like to volunteer to be a bell ringer this year, you can visit registertoring.com or you can go directly to the Champaign County Salvation Army’s website.