COLUMBIA (WACH) -- That familiar sound of bells ringing was in the air outside the State House.
The Salvation Army kicked off its Christmas campaign Friday morning.
The non-profit is known for helping provide food, shelter, clothing, as well as relief for disaster victims.
Eighty-two-cents of every dollar spent is used to carry out those services in 5,000 communities nationwide.
And this year, officials say there are so many families in need.
"This year the need is even greater than before," explains Terry Povey of the Salvation Army Advisory Board. "We have already registered almost 3,000 children for our application processes and we expect the number to grow as more families look for help as we get closer to Christmas."
The Salvation Army helps almost 30 million Americans each year.
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