As holiday shopping gets underway, so does the official Red Kettle Campaign for the Salvation Army.

Started in 1891 when Joseph McFee, a Salvation Army captain in San Francisco was overwhelmed with the number of poor in the city, the Red Kettle campaign raises millions of dollars today to assist with the care of the needy and poor.

It has become a bellweather of the holiday season, and one that reminds us of the importance of small gifts that make a big difference.

The Salvation Army operates 7,593 centers throughout the year, including a center here in Pike County.

In the past year, the Salvation Army has assisted 29,955,364 people through basic social services, holiday assistance, day camps, disaster relief, correctional services, day care, medical care, providing transportation, institutional care and more. It annually aids some 4.5 million people during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, according to the Salvation Army website.

Here in Pike County, the Salvation Army provides many different relief services, among the most prevalent the food pantry, which provides food and assistance to those in need throughout the year.

And that’s an important mission.

We hope you’ll take the time while out shopping this holiday season to drop your change or a few dollars in the Red Kettles throughout Pike County.

Your small gifts can add up to a big difference in someone’s life.