The bells are already ringing at 29 locations throughout the Elgin area as Salvation Army Lts. Scott and Allison Rodriguez oversee their first Red Kettle campaign.

“Our goal is to raise $235,000. Last year the Elgin campaign raised $220,000,” Scott Rodriguez said.

All the money collected locally during the holidays stays in Elgin to cover operational costs, services and programming offered through the Elgin Corps Community Center, 316 Douglas Ave., Allison Rodriguez said.

In fact, the married couple are planning to add two elementary school programs in January: a new recreation program run with the help of the Elgin Police Department and its ROPE officers and the launch of a new music program,

The couple’s own musical skills will come in handy for the latter. Allison plays piano and E flat alto saxophone and Scott plays tuba and guitar.

Scott said he took to music when, at age 7, he joined a Salvation Army band in his hometown of Rockford. Allison’s connection to the Salvation Army also runs deep.

“I’m the third generation of my family in the Salvation Army,” she said. “My grandparents Everett and (the late) Betty Jordan were captains here in Elgin in the 1970s. My grandfather also was the Elgin Police Department’s chaplain.”

The couple said they even met at a Salvation Army camp when they were both 13. After graduating from the Salvation Army Training College in Chicago, they were assigned to the Elgin Corps in late June.

“It’s been really fun so far. The people in Elgin and the city officials seem to be really involved and to really care about the people,” Scott said.

Allison noted that during an initial meeting with Mayor Dave Kaptain, he stressed how trust is important in running a city and an organization. With all that’s been happening in Elgin with ICE immigration enforcement, she said, the couple is stressing that the community center is a place of safety and trust.

Scott acknowledged it has been tough to get people to come out for events and programming because the presence of immigration officers have scared many into staying home. Still, during these times of high inflation and with SNAP benefit uncertainty, the couple said they are seeing high demand for Salvation Army services, particularly its food program.

As for the holidays, the couple said they currently have staff from Otto Engineering, Revcor and Advantech helping with their bell ringing campaign, which has a nationwide theme this year of “Give the Joy.” An additional 10 people are volunteers and another 14 are doing occasional paid work shifts.

“We’d love to have more people sign up to volunteer,” Allison said.

The pair is also overseeing a drive to collect toys and clothing that will be distributed to families in need on Dec. 17-18. Families must sign up in order to participate in the program.

“We’ve registered 470 families so far, and we anticipate there will be 100 more. That’s 1,068 children right now, and we’ll probably reach 1,200,” Allison said.

The Salvation Army runs an Angel Tree program through which applicants provide a wish list for their families. With the operation in Elgin, an adult family member shops in a makeshift store set up in the center’s gym to pick out two toys and a clothing item for each of their children.

Several companies have already donated items for the event, the couple said, including the Elgin Walmart and a couple Orangetheory Fitness locations.

The Salvation Army also runs an Adopt A Family program. Sponsors fill out a form to be paired with a family in need and purchase the items requested.

Students at Elgin, Larkin, Dundee-Crown, Hampshire and Jacobs high schools are taking part in a bell-ringing challenge, the Rodriguezes said. The school that raises the most money over the course of four Saturdays will receive $5,000 for the students’ efforts.

To make a donation to the Elgin Salvation Army Red Kettle, Adopt a Family and Angel Tree campaigns, go elginredkettle.org. To volunteer or to drop off toys, call 847-741-2304.

Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/elgin-red-kettle-salvation-army/