The Old Bridge Salvation Army is asking for help to raise money for the community as it is short of donations this year.

Lt. Mhairi Smeaton, who is working in front of the Shop Rite on Route 9, says the money put in the red kettle goes directly to the community to pay for food and heating bills. Residents can also donate through Apple Pay or Google Pay.

The annual Salvation Army Kettle Campaign usually raises roughly $2 million each holiday season in New Jersey. Smeaton says all the donations are important because the Salvation Army is short of their seasonal goal in the state.

"With the late Thanksgiving, we had six days less to fundraise and that means $250,000 less that we have to provide services for the state of New Jersey," said Smeaton.

The Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign is one of the oldest and largest charitable campaigns in the world.

The Salvation Army says 82 cents of every dollar collected is used to support 5,000 communities nationwide.