“I am just so excited to be performing live at AT&T Stadium today to celebrate the launch of the Red Kettle Campaign. There are so many people who need our help this holiday season and I am honored to shine a light on all the wonderful services The Salvation Army provides to help our neighbors in need.” – Dolly Parton, November 2023

2026 marks the 30th anniversary of the National Red Kettle Kickoff, The Salvation Army’s highest-profile yearly event. The annual halftime show with incredible musical performances starts the Christmas season with a bang at the Dallas Cowboys’ Thanksgiving game reminding Americans to help neighbors in need alongside The Salvation Army. 

The Dallas Cowboys and owners, the Jones family, have been extraordinary partners to The Salvation Army. The Thanksgiving game is the most-watched regular-season NFL game, with over 57 million TVs tuned in last year. The Cowboys generously provide that massive platform for the Army to launch its most significant fundraising initiative. “There’s hardly an American family that doesn’t have the game on during this prime time,” said Dale Bannon, national community relations & development secretary for The Salvation Army. “Thanksgiving, 3:30 Central Time — what could be better than American football and the National Red Kettle Kickoff?” 

Impressively, the scale of the Red Kettle Kickoff has only increased over the years, showing no signs of slowing down. Every year, the Dallas Cowboys have enlisted the help of world-class talent such as the Jonas Brothers, Dolly Parton, Lainey Wilson and Post Malone. “How many can say that they had Dolly Parton for their halftime show?” Bannon said. He added that Dolly Parton’s love of God and history of charitable giving made her a unique fit for the Kickoff. “We’ve continued to be blessed each year with Super-Bowl-level talent,” he said, noting that artists like Post Malone have fan bases that span generations and bring in larger audiences and donations. 

The annual collaboration between The Salvation Army and the Dallas Cowboys came about at an opportune moment for both organizations. The Army’s National Advisory Board wanted to nationalize awareness of the Red Kettle campaign. At the same time, a player had received some negative press off the field. Owner Jerry Jones is quoted as saying, “If people are going to be as interested in what we do off the field as they are what we do on the field, then we have an incredible opportunity to partner with someone who is truly doing the most good in all of our communities across the country.” He wanted to shine the Cowboys’ spotlight on people who were helping others. Knowing the Jones family’s history of philanthropy, then-National Advisory Board chair Steve Reinemund approached Charlotte Jones about a partnership, and the rest is history. 

Since then, The Salvation Army has become part of the team’s culture. Throughout the Red Kettle season, the endzones in AT&T Stadium are adorned with giant Red Kettles, which players often jump into for iconic touchdown celebrations. Employees, players, cheerleaders, corporate sponsors and associates of the Dallas Cowboys are all frequent supporters of local and national efforts with The Salvation Army. Additionally, The Salvation Army has the Dallas Cowboys room at their National Headquarters in Alexandria, VA, built for the 25th anniversary of the Red Kettle Kickoff, and the Cowboys have The Salvation Army Boardroom at their headquarters in Dallas, decorated with photos and memorabilia from the last 30 years. “The Salvation Army has been an incredibly important part of my life,” said Charlotte Jones. “It has taught me how to use my servant heart.”

When an artist agrees to perform at the halftime show, they’re actually donating their performance, which is an incredible gift when they stand to earn millions from a typical concert. This donation to The Salvation Army is a great blessing that speaks to the artists’ heart to give back. Recent artists have also filmed social media public service announcements encouraging digital donations, bringing in well over $1 million on their own. “They lend their influence to remind people it’s a joy to give,” said Bannon. He added that the artists raise awareness of The Salvation Army to their fanbases, many of whom may know little to nothing of the Army’s Christmas efforts. “Then when they see the Red Kettle, they think, ‘Oh, I remember seeing that on Thanksgiving Day. Why don’t I do my part and give back to my local Salvation Army?’ That’s what this effort is about.”

Often, the artist’s support of The Salvation Army continues after the Red Kettle Kickoff, like Lainey Wilson, who contributed her Heart Like a Truck fund to the Army last Christmas. Dolly Parton personally donated $1 million when she did the halftime show in 2023, and then another $1 million the next year. “Dolly was someone who represented the best in each of us. She was an amazing humanitarian who had a heart for others. We considered her a friend who shared our calling to love and serve others,” Bannon said, remembering Parton after her passing. “The way she supported nonprofits through her time, her platform, and her finances was a testament of a shared desire to put faith in action. Our hope is that her generosity will live on. The greatest tribute that I think people can make is to carry forward the way Dolly lived.”

Perhaps the most notable result of The Salvation Army’s 30-year partnership with the Dallas Cowboys is the relationship with the Jones family. They are excellent friends to the Army both locally and nationally, having both supported numerous Salvation Army initiatives within North Texas and multiple family members serving as members of the National Advisory Board (Charlotte as the first chairwoman). And now the third generation of the family sits on the board with Charlotte’s daughter and Jerry’s granddaughter Haley Anderson. “In everything we do, when we’re not playing football, we’re also partnering with The Salvation Army to figure out how we can leverage the assets that we have so we can better help you do your job,” said Jones. The Jones family has created a legacy of generosity and leadership, and their heart is truly with The Salvation Army. The bond between The Salvation Army, the Dallas Cowboys and the Jones family remains stronger than ever, building on the last 30 years and looking ahead to many more.

The Dallas Cowboys’ Star Power

• Post Malone’s halftime show generated 2.6 billion social media impressions.
• In 2024, Lainey Wilson’s social media posts raised $1.8 million for the Red Kettle campaign.
• Coinciding with her halftime show performance, Dolly Parton donated $1 million and repeated her gift the following year.

Photography courtesy of Lerma