HARRISON, Ohio — At stores and malls throughout Ohio, a familiar sound is ringing through the air, a little earlier than expected.

The Salvation Army sent volunteers out in mid-November to start the organization’s signature red kettle campaign. Gilberto Rivera was one of the first to come out and ring the bell in Harrison.

“I’m here because this is in my heart and I try to share that love for others,” he said.

The volunteer said he recently moved the Harrison area from Puerto Rico and both in his new home and old, the Salvation Army has been a huge part of his life. Rivera said he looks forward to ringing the bells and collecting donations every year since 1973.

“Like the song says, ‘Joy to the World,’ there’s room for Jesus in my heart and for others,” he said.

Last week, he was at a Big Lots in Harrison for nearly eight hours to support the cause.

Capt. Josh Morales with the Greater Cincinnati Salvation Army said they need volunteers like Rivera this year, more than ever, especially as the need continues to grow.

“We’re expecting about 50 percent less donations than an average year but we’re serving about 155 percent more people and so we’re going out early because the need is just so evident,” he said.

Funds from the red kettle campaign cover services like community dinners, food assistance and operation Christmas child. The campaign usually kicks off on Black Friday, but Morales said this year, the Salvation Army couldn’t afford to wait.

“The red kettle campaign is the most important thing for us throughout the year because the funds that we collect during this time of year go to keep our programs running and our services offered for the entire year,” he said.

Morales said the organization still expects in-person donations to be a little lower, due to reduced foot traffic at stores and fewer people carrying cash, so the campaign includes a digital donation option for the first time.

The bell ringers all have a sign with a QR code linking to the Salvation Army’s donation site. Morales said you can scan it from your phone from more than six feet away.

Morales said he anticipates that technology will last beyond the pandemic, boosting donation numbers in the future.

The Salvation Army hopes these options will make up for a lower-than-normal turnout in the pandemic, but Morales said that will depend on the generosity of their community and the tenacity of volunteers like Rivera.