The Salvation Army Goes High Tech

Want to help the needy this holiday season, but don't usually carry cash? There's an app for that.

In an effort to raise more money for their Red Kettle Campaign, The Salvation Army is going high tech. The Salvation Army is equipping their bell ringers with smart phones that can swipe your credit card. There's a new app called Square that can take credit card donations right on the spot. It's a credit card reader that plugs right into a smart phone.

The Salvation Army used to have big credit card readers, but those didn't work out too well because it took too long and folks were complaining. Now the Square app takes just a few seconds for you to make your contribution.

The new program will launch in bigger cities around the country, but if it works well, it could expand quickly. Meanwhile, the Red Kettle Campaign kicks off in St. Cloud today.