The Salvation Army is adding NFC chips and QR codes to its iconic red kettle collections tins to enable smartphone users to make a donation via Apple Pay or Google Pay.
The charity is fitting out of all its 25,000 red kettles nationwide with the features which will enable passersby to tap or scan their their phones to make a digital donation.
Donors will be directed to a custom donation page that accepts Apple or Google payment options. The funds will then be distributed to local Salvation Army units based on the donor’s billing ZIP code, and an email receipt will be sent directly to their phone.
Scott Justvig, executive director of development and communications for The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division, says: “The goal is to give supporters who are not carrying cash the ability to quickly donate to The Salvation Army as they’re walking by a red kettle.”