With holidays approaching, Salvation Army looks to stock its food pantry shelves

The Salvation Army of Omaha says requests for assistance from its food pantry are up 41 percent over the past three years.

The organization’s holiday campaign begins this Saturday with the third annual Red Kettle Run. Participants are asked to bring ten food items for the Salvation Army’s food pantry, or a 10 dollar donation for the Red Kettle campaign.

Allie Baxter, a Millard North High School senior, created the Red Kettle Run. She says all the donations go directly to the Salvation Army.

Baxter says she created the Red Kettle Run to help stock the pantry’s shelves in advance of the need for food around the holidays. The Salvation Army provides food assistance year-round.

More information on the Red Kettle Run is available at www.redkettlerunomaha.org.  The Salvation Army’s Tree of Lights will be built this weekend at 90^th and Dodge Streets.