The making of Jay-Z’s Hard Knock Life. 45 King + Jay-Z + The Salvation Army. True story.

Improv Everywhere + The Salvation Army = spontaneous Christmas joy.

Christmas and The Salvation Army Kettles go hand in hand. It’s like Batman and Robin, or Hipsters and American Apparel. It’s a great tradition that not only looks good on street corners but brings hope to those who may call those street corners home.

Have I pulled those heartstrings enough? Here’s how you can help and get a little something back in return (cause after all, it is Christmas). I’m calling it…

The Jeremy Watt Online Christmas iKettle iTunes Gift Card Giveaway

Here’s how it works

$100 Raised - 10 iTunes Gift Cards Left!

Donate Now →

Salvation Army Establishes Foothold Online

When you work on something for a few months it’s nifty to hear other people speak on it in a positive way. Makes the sleepless nights all worth it.

For the first time, the charitable relief organization Salvation Army has released its annual review online, and it’s unveiling a new website to serve as a platform for connecting with the broader community, while sharing personal stories and videos.

The new site – www.HopeStories.ca – will be supported with a printed pamphlet that will be distributed through various channels including direct mail.

The Salvation Army hopes its emphasis on online communications will help it reach a larger audience of donors who support the organization’s work through both traditional and Web-based methods.

The site and annual review present in-depth content about the Army’s work utilizing a variety of enriched media, including video testimonials from clients and staff, social networking application integration and downloadable financial material. The amount of information stored online will also save The Salvation Army money in printing expenses, it says, allowing it to distribute more copies of a condensed printed pamphlet.

The annual report details charitable activities and finances during the 2008/09 fiscal year (April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009). The pamphlet will provide an overview of the review’s main findings and recap the Army’s service work from 2008-2009.

“Our annual review uses digital technology to tell the personal stories of clients, volunteers and staff,” said Graham Moore, Territorial Secretary for Public Relations and Development with The Salvation Army. “We designed HopeStories.ca to connect with as many people as possible, and we achieved this by using multimedia content that can be easily shared by people connected in online networks.”

HopeStories.ca also encourages visitors to engage in conversation with others. Online visitors can share how The Salvation Army has impacted their life. Users can either post comments to the site directly or share items with their friends on social networks, like Facebook or Twitter. The online review demonstrates The Salvation Army’s forward-thinking approach as it embraces digital media that is particularly attractive to a younger and more Internet-savvy audience. The Web site highlights the best aspects of online communication while emphasizing the importance of the Army’s critical work.

Specifically, the site’s video testimonials, or ‘Hope Stories,’ feature the individual lives of Salvation Army clients, volunteers and staff nationwide. These stories reflect a small sample of how The Salvation Army helped more than 1.5 million people last year. The videos also demonstrate the variety of programs and services that the Army uses as a way to give hope to others

“Demand for service has never been greater, and The Salvation Army remains committed to meeting these needs,” said Commissioner William Francis, Territorial Commander of The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda. “Last year’s slumping economy included layoffs and financial hardship, and we’ve noticed that people who once supported us are now seeking our assistance. Each donation made to The Salvation Army plays a critical role in serving a heightened need.” - MediaCaster Magazine

For the last couple of months I’ve been working on The Salvation Army’s Annual Review aka HopeStories.ca. Taking a different approach this year, all the content is being presented online through videos. I threw together a teaser site so that we could leak the concept out to the public, two weeks before launch.

I’m proud to work for The Salvation Army. These aren’t actors, they’re actual clients beacons of hope of The Salvation Army. This is real life!!! These people know what a REAL recession feels like!

The Salvation Army Launches New Vision for SalvationArmy.ca

This is what I’ve been working on for the past 12 months. I’ll share some of the design process next week. Promise.

TOR - The Salvation Army is excited to announce a new vision for SalvationArmy.ca. For the past year, the Army has analyzed how the web communicates to the public and how visitors use it. The result is not a redesign, but a new means to enhance its features and the online experience for visitors.

SalvationArmy.ca now presents more images in a clutter-free environment and includes a special place for ‘Salvation Army TV’. More than 100 videos on YouTube highlight the work of The Salvation Army. Online visitors can access this library directly at SalvationArmy.ca

Most importantly, it’s easier than ever to support The Salvation Army through the ‘Giving Hope Online’ tool box. This allows visitors to donate online, sign-up to become a volunteer, make a tax-smart gift or register to follow us on Facebook.

“We are continuing our efforts to be in the forefront of new media communications and Web 2.0 tools,” says Graham D. Moore, Territorial Secretary for Public Relations and Development of The Salvation Army. “Over the next year we will be adding more features to engage our visitors and improve their online experience. We want to empower them with the ability to make a difference in their community, across Canada and around the world.”

$1600 in 16 Days for The Salvation Army - Update →

Thanks to some generous donours over the weekend, the $1600 is 16 days Salvation Army fundraiser is now sitting at $193. Just a touch off pace, but I’m confident things will snowball closer to Christmas. Donate here.

$1600 in 16 Days for The Salvation Army - Update →

$1600 in 16 Days for The Salvation Army Update: $143 Dollars raised as we near the end of day one. Thanks to those who’ve donated so far! $43 above the $1600 pace. Keep those knees up! Donate here.

$1600 in 16 Days - Donate to The Salvation Army this Christmas

I work for The Salvation Army. They do good work. For every dollar they raise 89 cents goes to those who might otherwise remain invisible in society. There’s 16 Days till Christmas and I want to raise $1600.

On average I get about 200 visitors a day to this little website. If each of you donated $8, we’d hit the $1600 dollar mark.

So in review…

200 Visitors over the next 16 Days + 8 Dollars = $1600 towards Seeing What Most Don’t

Click here or the Salvation Army Kettle image on the sidebar to donate


For more information about The Salvation Army, have a look at their Annual Review.