CARNEGIE, Pa., Dec. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --  For the third year in a row The Pittsburgh Salvation Army is waging a financial war on its Cleveland counterpart.  The battle is up close and personal and the weapon is your computer.  Jump into the fray and play!  Put your money where your heart is and prove to the world that Pittsburghers are the most generous givers to The Salvation Army. 2011 provided the proof when Steel City online giving garnered a healthy $6,605; more than Cleveland's paltry $4,175 total.

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Beginning now and ending in January 31^st, Pittsburgh and Cleveland residents get to decide which town rules by contributing online.  Western Pennsylvania fans should log onto www.OnlineRedKettle.org/Pittsburgh, and fill The Salvation Army Pittsburgh virtual kettle.  From this link, you can even create your own cyber kettle as a part of our team and raise more dollars.  The city with the most online contributions wins the contest – and in turn, countless needy families reap the benefits!

The "Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland Online Red Kettle Contest" was conceived in 2010 by Salvation Army advisory board members who wanted to jumpstart online giving, capitalizing on the fierce, decades-deep rivalry of these two cities. Both areas have been hit hard by the financial downturn. "We hope to crush Cleveland for the third year in a row," said Western Pennsylvania Salvation Army Divisional Commander Major William H. Bode.  "My 'adversary' Colonel Steven Howard needs to hang up his orange and brown and dust off last year's black and yellow and prepare to look like a Pittsburgher when Cleveland loses again!"

Both a church and a social service organization, The Salvation Army began in London, England in 1865.  Today, it provides critical services in 126 countries worldwide.  The 28-county Western Pennsylvania Division serves thousands of needy families through a wide variety of support services.  To learn more about The Salvation Army in Western Pennsylvania, log onto www.salvationarmy-wpa.org.  The Salvation Army … Doing the most good . . . for the most people . . . in the most need.

SOURCE Salvation Army Western Pennsylvania Division