HARRISONBURG, Va. (ROCKTOWN NOW) – Ringing bells and red kettles are once again popping up all over the area.

The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Salvation Army kicked off its annual “Red Kettle Campaign” yesterday at the Shenandoah Heritage Market.

Lieutenant Douglas Ingold told host Jim Britt on WSVA’s Early Mornings Friday that there has been an increase over the past year in the number of success stories of those helped by the local Salvation Army Corps.

“We’re implementing more of a programmatic type of opportunity for them while they’re there,” Ingold said. “So, we’re giving them financial literacy, literacy classes as well as all other, all kinds of other classes that we’re going to be continually implementing and we’re seeing a a great response to that and we are placing more and more people in permanent housing each month.”

The Red Kettle Campaign runs through Christmas Eve, with the goal of raising $190,000. Ingold encourages those interested in volunteering to visit RegisterToRing.com.