Salvation Army Bell Ringers Accept Digital Donations

After dusting off their traditional red aprons and donation pots, Salvation Army bell ringers will modernize their getup this giving season with a digital donation device.

The humanitarian aid charity, which brings in $2 billion in revenue each year, will enable shoppers and passersby to give money to the pot, even if they don't have cash on hand, The New York Times reports. Sprint Nextel has donated Android smartphones equipped with Square's credit card reader for donation-collectors to carry, which allows donors to swipe their card on the spot.

"A lot of people just don't carry cash any more," Maj. George Hood, the Salvation Army's spokesman, told The New York Times. "We're basically trying to make sure we're keeping up with our donors and embrace the new technologies they're embracing."

The charity will employ the mobile-giving option at 10 locations in Dallas, San Francisco, Chicago and New York, according to the charity's blog. Square charges a 2.75 percent fee for every swipe.

PCMag.com gave Square a "very good" rating and noted that "the experience is top-notch--for buyers and sellers alike."

In addition to offering contributors a hassle-free donation option, Square also amps up security, according to the Salvation Army blog. The money is deposited directly into the charity's account and means there's less cash on hand for thieves to steal.

Some Salvation Army posts that don't offer the mobile donating option are, for the first time, pairing bell ringers with guards.

"We'd like to say we didn't have to do it." Merrilu Bennett of the Salvation Army told NBC-2.com. "It's something that no matter what the cost to us - even though it's something we hadn't planned for - it's worth every penny that we have to pay."

Comments

[Randyman5]

08:56 PM on 11/18/2011

"Unfortunat­e they don't seem PC enough for some, but a truly hungry person doesn't stop to ask the politics of a sandwich". What an ugly statement.

When gays refuse to support organizations that discriminate against --and refuse to hire them-- gays are apparently being self-indugently "PC"... is that it Mr. Katz? In addition to which it makes no sense whatsoever.... "a truly hungry person doesn't stop to ask the politics of a sandwich..." Who is saying they do? And there are plenty of organizations that do not denigrate gay people that provide help to the homeless and hungry. I prefer to support those organization, if it's all the same to you, Mr. Katz!

[Bills Catz]

11:40 AM on 11/17/2011

Never has an issue with "Sally." Used to think they were a fairly strange collection of mutts with all the corporals and majors and captains -- still do, in fact -- but they're the ones out there with hot coffee and sandwiches and blankets after local disasters. SA are the folks down on Skid Row offering a hot meal and a cot to hardcore derelicts, and running rehab programs for people with no insurance. See any government agencies or big charities doing that, maybe Oral Roberts or the Pope? Nah, didn't think so.

Unfortunate they don't seem PC enough for some, but a truly hungry person doesn't stop to ask the politics of a sandwich.

[Bob Macfarlane]

07:01 AM on 11/17/2011

The Salvation Army is the only charity that I give to.

If the LGBT group are upset about it, they will just need to get over it and of course, they always have the option of not donating.

[Randyman5]

08:51 PM on 11/18/2011

I cannot donate to the Salvation Army, because it would be wrong for me to do so. I cannot support an organization that denigrates gays and lesbians, and finds them so beneath human dignity that they refuse to hire gay people. I also do not donate to Catholic Charities for the same reasons.... but I do donate to the United Way and to the Hopkins School of Public Health.
I also have started a foundation that gives donations to organizations that help the poor.

Bob, would you donate to an organization that does not hire blacks? or Hispanics? or Jews?
Just curious. Or are gays just that much "lesser than"... that you're fine with prejudice against gay people?

[Bob Macfarlane]

09:13 PM on 11/18/2011

As I clearly stated, you have an option. Don't donate to the Salvation Army.

[Jo Hargis]

11:53 PM on 11/16/2011

Maybe someday if they get the stick out of their butts and stop the anti-gay rhetoric, I might. For now, there are other organizations I'd much rather support. When I give money to a charity, I'd like to know that there's no discrimination on how it's applied.

[Jay Arellano]

11:18 PM on 11/16/2011

When the Salvation Army decides that threatening the cessation of their charitable services is not an appropriate reaction to being asked to provide equal treatment to my community, I will consider giving to them. Until that time, I will give to charitable organizations that open their arms to my LGBT family.