On December 6, a Salvation Army red kettle was stolen in front of the Acme market on Roosevelt Boulevard and Magee Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia. The volunteer on duty was shaken and upset by the robbery but, fortunately, not injured.

This is the third Salvation Army kettle this year that has been stolen from various locations, and we are concerned for our volunteers as well as for the people who rely on these donations. The Salvation Army has 10 community centers in Philadelphia's neediest neighborhoods, and the centers rely on the December kettle collections to fund their programs for the year.

The Salvation Army needs the community’s support more than ever. Kettle donations are currently down 5-10 percent as compared to this time last year, while the demand for services in this difficult economy is up as much as 100 percent in some locations.

Salvation Army red kettles are stationed in public places and include a full red stand and sign with a Salvation Army shield, and our volunteers possess official Salvation Army identification. They never go door to door -- or car to car, so if you see someone soliciting at homes or on the street with a red kettle, he or she is not a Salvation Army representative.

Anyone with information about who might have taken these kettles, please call the police.

Thank you for your support and for remembering our neighbors in need this season.