Luke Bryan to Kick Off 125th Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign with LIVE Halftime Performance During Cowboys Thanksgiving Day Game
Over $2 billion raised since Dallas Cowboys and The Salvation Army joined forces 19 years ago
ARLINGTON, Texas (October 26, 2015) – Country music superstar Luke Bryan will perform LIVE at AT&T Stadium during halftime of the Dallas Cowboys game against the Carolina Panthers on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, kicking off The Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle Campaign. The nationally televised halftime performance marks the 19th year the Dallas Cowboys have partnered with The Salvation Army to launch the iconic annual campaign, which raises millions of dollars throughout the holiday season. Donations help provide meals and shelter for families and Christmas toys for millions of children, in addition to numerous other social services programs year-round, such as substance abuse programs, shelter and counseling for victims of domestic violence, and military veteran assistance.
“As a football fan, I’m especially excited to be performing on Thanksgiving Day,” says Luke Bryan. “It’s also an honor to spotlight two great organizations like Dallas Cowboys and The Salvation Army and raise awareness for all the great work they do.”
“Luke Bryan is one of the biggest names in country music, but he has an incredibly humble spirit and is always searching for ways to give back and help others. For us, it was a perfect fit for what the Red Kettle kickoff represents for our partnership with The Salvation Army,” said Charlotte Jones Anderson, executive vice president and chief brand officer for the Dallas Cowboys and former national advisory chairperson for The Salvation Army. “Millions of families and children are impacted every year by the good works of The Salvation Army, and our goal is to help spread that message and educate Americans that every penny dropped in those red kettles goes toward making a difference.”
The Red Kettle Campaign runs from Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Eve and is the largest and longest-running fundraiser of its kind. It raised $144.7 million last year alone, with more than $2 billion raised since the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day partnership began in 1997. For the second year, this campaign will include an invitation for donors to share their reasons for giving on social media, and Luke Bryan will add his own #RedKettleReason.
“This summer, we celebrated the 150th anniversary of The Salvation Army, and this holiday season marks the 125th Red Kettle Campaign. That is over a century of dedication to meeting human need across the globe,” said Lt. Col. Ron Busroe, national community relations and development secretary for The Salvation Army. “Our hope, in partnership with the Dallas Cowboys and Luke Bryan, is to continue to spread the word that The Salvation Army is here for those trying to overcome obstacles in their lives during the holidays and year-round.”
As the reigning CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan has sold nearly eight million albums with 30 million digital tracks and placed 14 songs at the top of the charts. He is currently a double nominee for the upcoming CMA Awards as “Male Vocalist of The Year” and “Entertainer of The Year.” Bryan’s “Kick the Dust Up Tour” kicked off in May 2015, and he is currently making his rounds through the country performing in sold-out venues everywhere.
The Red Kettle Kickoff halftime show has been nationally televised for all of its 19 years, reaching millions of viewers with the campaign’s message. Luke Bryan is the newest addition to a list of Red Kettle Kickoff celebrity halftime performers, including Selena Gomez, Kenny Chesney, Enrique Iglesias, Keith Urban, Daughtry, Jonas Brothers, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Sheryl Crow, Destiny’s Child, Toby Keith, LeAnn Rimes, Creed, Jessica Simpson, Billy Gilman, Clint Black, Randy Travis and Reba McEntire.
In addition to giving online or to the traditional bell ringers that will be stationed at retail locations across the country, supporters can donate through the Army’s text-to-give program. By texting the word “KETTLE” to 80888, donors can send $10 to the Red Kettle Campaign.
From its humble beginnings as a Salvation Army captain’s start-up program in 1891 in San Francisco, the Red Kettle Campaign has grown into one of the most recognizable and important charitable campaigns in the United States. It provides toys for kids, coats for the homeless, food for the hungry and countless social service programs year-round. As part of the campaign, more than 25,000 Salvation Army volunteers throughout the country ring bells and solicit donations to the Red Kettles.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Approximately 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a range of social services: food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless, and opportunities for underprivileged children. Eighty-two cents of every dollar donated to The Salvation Army are used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. The Salvation Army tracks the level of need across the country with the Human Needs Index (HumanNeedsIndex.org). For more information, go to salvationarmyusa.org or follow on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS.
About Luke Bryan
Since the debut of his first album in 2007, Luke Bryan has placed 14 singles at #1 and sold nearly 8 million albums with 30 million digital tracks from his five studio albums. He has been named Entertainer of the Year by both the Academy of Country Music (twice) and the Country Music Association. Luke’s new album Kill The Lights recently debuted at #1 on both the Billboard Top 200 and Top Country Albums charts. This is Luke’s third consecutive album to debut at #1 on the Billboard Top 200. Kill The Lights is the third-largest-selling album debut in all genres in 2015, after R&B / hip hop releases from Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Kill The Lights is also the highest country album debut in the last two years, since his own Crash My Party debuted at #1 in August 2013.
About the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Foundation
In the area of community service, the Dallas Cowboys and Jones Family Foundation’s mission is built upon an overall philosophy of helping those who don’t have the strength, the resources or the means to help themselves, with a primary focus on partnership with The Salvation Army. With the Cowboys organization having enjoyed immense and unprecedented success, the Jones Family feels a very strong obligation to take the visibility, energy and celebrity of one of the world’s most powerful sports franchises and channel those dynamic forces toward the bigger purpose of making a difference. Recognized as one of the world’s most generous families, the Joneses enlist the talents, skills and resources of all the Cowboys players, coaches, cheerleaders and every member of the organization to provide a unique and cutting edge approach to community outreach. More information about the Dallas Cowboys and the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Foundation can be found on https://www.dallascowboys.com/.
For more information about The Salvation Army and the Red Kettle Kickoff, please visit blog.salvationarmyusa.org, facebook.com/SalvationArmyUSA or twitter.com/salvationarmyus.
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