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At Christmastime, The Salvation Army activates with urgency across the U.S., helping thousands of individuals and families in need with gifts, meals and other forms of assistance. That’s in addition to holding the iconic Red Kettle fundraising campaign that funds those and other year-long efforts, and the steady stream of merriment associated with being a place of worship for thousands.
Across the Western U.S., The Salvation Army’s effort to brighten the holidays has many components, often taking different forms across the 13 states, Guam and Micronesia. Caring explored the best of the holidays in each of the West’s Salvation Army divisions. Here is a capsule of Christmas in the West:
1. A dedicated volunteer at the kettle
In November 1987, Verena Matthews was frustrated. The Salvation Army bellringing season was about to begin in Coos Bay, Oregon, and a women’s service organization had never claimed the coveted “Salvation Army Kettle Cowbell” award.
“That’s when my big mouth got me in trouble,” Matthews said. “I got tired of hearing that it was the men who did this and the men who did that. I was ready to give them some competition.”
2. A new role that keeps the spirit going year round
The new Christmas Champion role invited 30 lead volunteers—one from each advisory organization in The Salvation Army Northwest Division—to organize and communicate Christmas activities and plans throughout the year. Their efforts will help The Salvation Army extend support during the Christmas season as community needs grow alongside increased generosity through donations and volunteer efforts.
3. A fresh take on a familiar classic
In Anchorage, Alaska, The Salvation Army tries to reclaim Christmas for those in recovery through a number of special touches, like holiday pajamas, a Christmas meal and party complete with carols. The highlight of it all? “The 12 days of Clitheroe”: The center’s spin on the familiar Christmas song.
In the two weeks leading up to the party, each of the Clitheroe programs works on their custom lyrics to the familiar tune. “The song is funnier and funnier every year,” said Assistant Clinical Manager Shalom So’O.
4. A supportive, familiar holiday presence
How great would it be to have Santa on speed dial? For The Salvation Army in Northern California, the initiated know who to call when they need a hand from the North Pole. It’s Major Rio Ray, Sacramento (California) County Coordinator and Sacramento Citadel Corps Officer, who embraces the role of Santa to make Christmas special for those The Salvation Army is serving.
For hundreds of seniors in care homes across Salt Lake City, The Salvation Army Golden Angel Tree program ensures they receive thoughtful gifts and experience the warmth and generosity of Christmas.
Among the recipients was Nancy Jensen, a resident of Pine Creek Rehabilitation and Nursing. She said waking up to gifts on Christmas was a pleasant surprise—last year, she received a blanket and a pajama set. This year, she wished for slippers and a calendar. “It’s a nice feeling to know others are thinking about you,” she said.
6. Swooping in to save Christmas morning
Last year, as volunteers took Angel Tree tags off Christmas trees at the Desert Ridge Marketplace in the Phoenix area, Nox Group President and Chief Operating Officer Greg Ayres asked what they were doing.
When the volunteer explained the tags were considered “forgotten angels”— their due dates were coming up, and the registered child’s Christmas wish list remained unfilled—Ayres asked for the tags. They gave him the stack. He asked if there were more. There were—in the end he left with some 450 tags the company fulfilled by the next day.
This year, the company has adopted some 2,300 angels—all of the families who are set to pick up their gifts on day one—a day that typically has the most forgotten angels due to the tight turnaround.
During Christmas time, participants from Revolution Hawaii, The Salvation Army’s spiritual life development program for young adults (ages 18-25) are dispatched as Christmas Angels to Salvation Army units throughout the islands to help with a range of Christmas tasks, helping with ringing the bell at the kettle, angel tree distributions and more.
“Getting to help the corps officers during one of their busiest seasons, Christmas, was so much fun and so rewarding because we worked so hard…and helped take some stress away from what’s already a super stressful time,” said Hannah Trayler, who took part in Revolution Hawaii from 2022-2023.
8. A look behind the scenes at the North Pole
At The Salvation Army warehouse in Bell, California, a cardboard sign announces visitors have arrived at the North Pole. While the plain metal shelving and pallets of brown boxes might seem like a far cry from Santa’s Workshop, inside the warehouse, volunteers serve as de facto elves, organizing and sorting Christmas toy donations for children in need across Southern California.
Mountains of toys fill a row of tables, stacked high in colorful piles of dolls, action figures, toy cars and plush animals. Meanwhile, Santa’s helpers hustle to sort each item by age group and gender, from ages 0-14. As Christmas approaches, the donations arrive by the truckload from Mattel and corporate donors, plus individuals who drop off toys at collection boxes across the region.
“It requires a lot of hours of volunteer work,” said Pamela Dong, Divisional Family Services Director, who oversees Christmas operations at the Bell Warehouse.
On Dec. 14, Santa Claus and hundreds of his biker friends, representing California’s Central Valley motorcycle clubs, roared into the Turlock Corps’ parking lot to deliver thousands of Christmas gifts for local children. The event marked the 6th annual toy run for the group.
“It can be a very emotional time for some of the families because they’re completely shocked,” said Turlock Corps Officer Captain Katie Breazeale. “When they sign up, they’re not expecting to get everything on their list. But the motorcycle group does their best to do that.”
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