The Times Weekly – Newswire The bells will soon be ringing, as the first of The Salvation Army’s Red Kettles were brought out in Chicago and the suburbs on Monday, November 8. Bell ringers will collect donations at the iconic Red Kettles, beginning at area Jewel-Osco and Hobby Lobby stores this week. The Red Kettle campaign kicks off as thousands of Illinoisans are still experiencing the ongoing impacts of the pandemic and struggling to stay in their homes. More than 200,000 households in Illinois are behind on rent, according to Policy Link. The Salvation Army has seen an increase in requests for emergency financial assistance in the last 18 months, a need that’s only expected to grow substantially since the lifting of the state’s eviction moratorium last month.