With the official holiday season now in full swing, the iconic red kettles and bell-ringers of the Salvation Army will fan out at grocery and retail locations across the country, encouraging shoppers to give their spare change to help out a good cause.

The Salvation Army is widely recognized as one of the most respected charities in America. Its programs provide food, clothing, money for utilities and rent, and numerous other necessities for people who are having hardships.

As the weak economy has dragged on, many people still are out of work and struggling to pay their bills. People and companies who have managed to maintain up until this point may finally be out of resources and having to choose between bills or, in the case of companies, laying people off. Many of them come to the Salvation Army for help through its food pantry, clothing closet and assistance programs. The Salvation Army even assists with obtaining Christmas gifts — not an absolute necessity, of course, but still vital if you’re a child who doesn’t have much else to bring joy to your life.

You can help this year by donating at the red kettles, whether at the store or online. You can dump your spare change in the kettles throughout the season, or even just give a lump sum online through your credit or debit card.

Anybody who has ever stood at the door to a store and asked for money — whether as a beggar or serving an organization — can likely tell you that it’s a study in humanity. Many times, the people who drove up in the nicest cars and are outfitted in the nicest clothes will purposely avoid meeting eyes with those asking for money, but the people who arrived in a 10-year-old car and are dressed in sweatpants will dig deep into their pockets searching for change or dollar bills to hand out.

This year, don’t let yourself be one of those that avoid the friendly smiles and ringing bells of the Salvation Army. There are far too many people who need the help. And if you find yourself saying, “I’m the one who needs the help,” then call the Salvation Army at 539-5201 and inquire about a job ringing the bells.

And no matter who you are, if you have a little bit of extra time this season among all the other things you’re doing, consider volunteering to ring the bells. The more volunteers the Salvation Army gets, the more money they can put toward helping people.