Widow Drops Her Wedding Rings and a Note into a Salvation Army Kettle and Starts Something Big

While you typically only see the Salvation Army kettle during the Christmas season, those collections continue to bless people all throughout the year. And here's an interesting story about some surprising gifts dropped into those red vessels during the holiday season started a touching trend!

Typically, folks toss coins and a bit of cash into the buckets. But a different kind of giving trend started back in 2014 when a widow gifted her wedding ring to the charitable organization. 

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The Salvation Army posted on their Massachusetts Facebook page, “What started with a widow quietly dropping her wedding rings into The Salvation Army USA red kettle around 2014 has spawned acts of jewelry generosity this holiday season and in years since.” 

Jewelry Donations In Salvation Army Kettle

Waltham, Massachusetts, approximately 10 miles west of Boston, was the location of such a gift in 2023. According to the December 15 Facebook post, a stranger left a pair of wedding rings (an engagement ring and a wedding band) and a touching note in the kettle outside the Market Basket grocery store in Waltham. 

The note, typed in a pseudo-handwriting font with a crimson heading, read, “This ring is being given in love for a second time. Like the first time, I hope that this ring will bring joy and make a difference.” The note placed in the Salvation Army kettle also included the verse John 3:16. 

What a beautiful gift! For many, our wedding rings are among our most prized possessions. To part with them for the benefit of strangers is an inspiring act of generosity!

An Ongoing Tradition

The tradition of giving jewelry may have begun in 2014. But each gift since represents a unique act of love and kindness. The 2014 rings were valued at more than $2,000. And other gifts that year included a $2,600 diamond ring and a $1,500 diamond cross charm.

Regarding the 2023 offering, The Salvation Army’s Lieutenant Nicole Fullop told The Boston Globe “We are honored and humbled that someone would care enough to give something this precious to the Salvation Army to help others. Donors dropping valuable jewelry and coins with notes into kettles has been happening for years and is often a reminder of how the kettle is a sign of hope.”

It’s clear that The Salvation Army has earned the trust of the public over the years. Individuals feel confident that their gifts will be used wisely to help others. On The Salvation Army’s website, there is a list of all of the ways in which they help communities. It includes homeless shelters, food pantries, veteran services, rent and utility assistance, summer camps, and so much more.  

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The gifts to The Salvation Army kettle and the work that TSA does impact lives far beyond December!

“Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give!” Proverbs 21:26

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h/t: Inspire More

Featured Image Credit: Facebook/The Salvation Army of Massachusetts/The Salvation Army USA

Hally is a freelance writer, blogger, and mental health advocate. A former school counselor, Hally works for a nonprofit that distributes tax dollars to mental health and prevention education providers that serve her county's kids and families. She's a contributor to a devotional and two essay collectives, and she shares resources and wisdom regarding parenting teens, mental health, faith, adoption, and more at https://www.hallyjwells.com where she strives to "Dig Deep and Reach High." She and her husband have three adult children and one rascally beagle pup. Hally loves travel, her book club sisters, personality tests, and a great glass of iced tea.