Despite Sunday Night Football stunt, Salvation Army still needs holiday donations
TAMPA (FOX 13) - It was a tough primetime loss for the Buccaneers on Sunday night. The Cowboys topped the Bucs 26-20 in Dallas.
But perhaps even more talked about than the final score, was the score by Ezekiel Elliott in the first half.
"It was great to see him jump in that kettle and I immediately thought hey this might help us a little bit," said Captain Andy Miller, who heads the Salvation Army Tampa.
Miller says right now, local red kettle donations need help. They're still down eight percent from last year.
The money helps fund services like providing food and shelter to the needy year-round.
"Across America, we serve 30 million people, we serve 58 million meals. Just in the Tampa Bay area, we helped 101,000 people," he said.
Nationally, the Salvation Army is already celebrating Zeke's celebration, reporting $182,000 in online donations since Sunday Night. Captain Miller is hopeful Tampa Bay sees a boost too.
"Maybe as people are walking by the kettle, they'll think, 'Hey, didn't Ezekiel Elliot jump in that thing? Maybe I can pull something out of my pocket?' I don't know what it'll do but the attention could be positive for us," he said.
And with just six days left of the Red Kettle campaign, the timing couldn't have been better.
"I would say the Salvation Army was a bigger winner last night," Captain Miller told FOX 13.
If you would like to donate to the local Salvation Army, click here: http://www.salvationarmyflorida.org/tampabay/