If you’ve ever wanted to donate to one of those red kettles but didn’t have the cash or change in your pocket, things are different now. The Salvation Army has made it easier for you to donate no matter where you are.

“This year we’re kinda moving into that texting world you know, people today, they’re just not carrying as much cash on them,” said Major Monty Wandling, Senior Kroc Officer.

The Salvation Army has been collecting red kettle donations for families across the U.S. for 125 years now.

Right here in St. Joseph County, the Kroc Center has helped many local families in need..

And it just went digital.

“Sometimes it’s hard, people are walking by like, they’d like to give but they reach into their pocket and realize ‘ohhh’ you know and they take out their credit card and you can’t swipe it on the kettles,” said Wandling.

They’ve made it so you can click, text, and workout while you donate.

“You come in here and when you’re working out, you’re running on the treadmill, and there’s a little advertisement that will come up and it lets all our members know, ‘hey if you’d like to give’ they can get into that same process,” said Wandling

All of the money donated in St. Joseph county stays in St. Joseph County.

“All of the gifts that we get from text to give, putting something in the kettle, goes to our family resource center goes directly to help with the need in St. Joe County,” said Wandling.

And they hope to stay on the frontlines with technology and service.

“As technology grows, we’re finding ways just to meet people and help them realize the need,” said Wandling.