Grocery Chain Donates to Salvation Army, Pledges ‘Red Kettle’ Changes

The supermarket chain Giant, which sparked criticism last Christmas by implementing strict limits on Salvation Army fund raising outside its Washington-area stores, this week gave $75,000 to the charity and promised to “better prepare” for the next holiday season, D.C. radio station WTOP reports.

The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command fell about $500,000 short of its $1.6-million goal for the most recent “Red Kettle” campaign, which the charity attributed to in large part Giant’s new restrictions on fund-raising hours.

In a statement, the company said the change “had an unintended negative impact” on Salvation Army collections and that it will work with the charity “to better prepare for the 2011 Red Kettle Campaign.”