As we moves toward becoming a cashless society, The Salvation Army is making it easier for donors to give back during the Christmas season by making a gift with Apple Pay or Google Pay at the iconic Red Kettles. The Salvation Army has placed smart chips and QR codes on Red Kettle signs across the State of Utah, allowing shoppers to simply 'bump' or scan their phones to make a digital donation.
Captain Rob Lawler with Salvation Army Salt Lake stopped by to answer all our questions about digital donations.
Captain Lawler said, "Our Red Kettles have been a fixture during the holiday season for over 100 years. As fewer shoppers carry cash today, we have found a new way to engage donors at the kettle. Kettle Pay leverages current technology with a set of digitally enabled tags (affixed to actual Red Kettles or Red Kettle signage) empowering non-cash-carrying shoppers to instantly donate via smartphone."
He brought in a kettle with the new QR codes to demonstrate how it works.
When a donor "bumps" their qualifying, NFC-enabled smartphone on a Kettle Pay NFC tag, it automatically pulls up a custom Salvation Army donation page equipped with Apple Pay/Google Pay (depending on device) or a personal credit card payment option. Choose your donation amount, then you'll receive a receipt in your email inbox!
The Salvation Army gets your contact information automatically with these e-payments, and here, info-sharing has its benefits, because the Salvation Army sees your zip code, and keeps as many of the dollars local to that zip code as possible!
And rest assured your donation will be used effectively.
Captain Lawlor said, "Our Food Pantry provides food boxes in support of poverty mitigation and hunger relief throughout Utah. Last year we distributed 14,006 food boxes and 3,890 brown bags (containing food and supplies to sustain an individual for up to two (2) days). This resulted in us serving over 80,000 individuals throughout Utah, which includes low-income families, children, and individuals suffering from unfathomable hardships."
You can contact them online at saltlakecity.salvationarmy.org or by calling (801) 988-4204.
