You’re going to start seeing the Salvation Army’s red Christmas kettles around the city very soon.

The organization held it’s ‘Hope in the City’ luncheon to kick off the campaign with donations from corporate Calgary on Wednesday.

Captain Pam Goodyear says the kettle campaign is their biggest fundraiser each year.

“Last year we raised just over $1,019,000 and so we’ve kept our goal at $1-million but we’re hoping we’ll do even better than last year because we are seeing a constant increase in the need,” says Goodyear. “All of our programs are up 20 to 30 per cent.”

Goodyear adds, the Salvation Army gave over 7,000 children in Calgary toys last Christmas and that number will likely grow by over a thousand this season.