The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit Names 2019 Red Kettle Campaign Corporate Chairperson
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (Sept. 19, 2019) — The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit is pleased to announce AT&T Michigan President David Lewis as the nonprofit’s Corporate Chairperson for the 2019 Red Kettle Campaign. In this role, Lewis is responsible for helping to raise awareness for the Campaign and act as its public face throughout southeast Michigan. Lewis will also support The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit as it seeks to meet its Red Kettle fundraising goal of $8 million. AT&T Michigan has pledged a $50,000 donation that will used toward the 2019 fundraising campaign.
“I am proud to work with The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit as this year’s Red Kettle Campaign Corporate Chairperson,” said Lewis. “AT&T Michigan puts tremendous value in our community outreach and volunteering programs; being part of such a great cause that will help feed and shelter thousands of people in metro Detroit is truly humbling.”
In addition to Lewis serving as the Campaign’s Corporate Chairperson, AT&T Michigan is also The Salvation Army’s first-ever official corporate bell ringing partner. AT&T Michigan employees will serve as volunteer bell ringers at red kettle sites across metro Detroit as part of AT&T’s Believe Detroit initiative and to raise money for The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit.
“Without the help of businesses and volunteers such as AT&T Michigan, The Salvation Army would have a much harder time raising the funds needed to feed and shelter thousands of people throughout metro Detroit every year,” said Major Timothy Meyer, general secretary and metro Detroit area commander. “The Salvation Army is so excited to see the impact David Lewis and AT&T Michigan employees make in our community throughout the entirety of this Christmas season.”
Lewis joined AT&T in 2009 as the director of external and corporate affairs for the company’s operations in Indiana. He was named president of AT&T Michigan in March of 2018. AT&T has 5,000-plus employees in Michigan and has invested more than $1.4 billion in the state’s wired and wireless networks from 2016-2018.Support from AT&T Michigan volunteers is critical to the success of the 2019 Red Kettle Campaign, because without their presence at the red kettles, unmanned sites will not generate the much-needed donations for The Salvation Army to meet demand for its services. A manned red kettle collects about $53 per hour in donations, $400 more per day than an unmanned kettle.
The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit’s 85-day fundraising campaign begins on Nov. 8, 2019 and concludes on Jan. 31, 2020.
About The Salvation Army
Founded by William and Catherine Booth in London, England in 1865, The Salvation Army is a faith-based, non-profit organization dedicated to serving people in need without discrimination. This past year, The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit provided 2,493,786 meals and 573,968 nights of shelter for the homeless. The Salvation Army uses $.87 of every dollar raised to provide direct services to people in need each and every day of the year. For more information about The Salvation Army, please call 877-SAL-MICH, or visit us at www.salmich.org.
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