The money collected last year in Poplar Bluff's red kettles helped a junior high student with an abscessed tooth.
It repaired a mother's car for work and made a mortgage payment for a family overwhelmed by medical bills.
It even provided 300 pairs of shoes for children in need, among other things.
As Salvation Army volunteers take up their positions again this year, more hands are needed to help fill about 550 hours of bell ringing.
Bell ringers will be out from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday until Dec. 23, said coordinator Rebecca Winters. They will be at Walmart Supercenter for the majority of that time, with some weekend hours at Walmart Neighborhood Market.
One-hour slots and days are still available, Winters said. Individuals can man the kettles for a single slot, or businesses and organizations can adopt all or part of a day to fill.
"There's still plenty of time for people to get organized," Winters said.
This effort raised almost $40,000 last year for the Salvation Army, with the help of more than 700 bell ringers.
The local Salvation Army chapter accepts referrals from agencies such as children's division, the juvenile department, fire departments, schools, the VA hospital, utility companies and other groups, said Winters.
"We're still dealing with emergency needs ... but we've moved away from people referring themselves," she said.
The agencies that work directly with those in need know the individual situations best, said Winters.
Salvation Army also partners locally with other groups to make the Christmas donations stretch as far as possible, she said.
A local dentist and financial assistance from another agency helped provide for the junior high student's care, for example, Winters said.
To volunteer, contact Winters by phone or text message at 573-714-4414.