CANDACE CAMERON BURE: WHY I SUPPORT THE SALVATION ARMY’S RED KETTLE CAMPAIGN
A role model to several generations of young women, Candace Cameron Bure is one of The Salvation Army’s closest celebrity friends and supporters. Cameron has acted as a brand ambassador in recent years for the holiday season Red Kettle Campaign, in addition to urging donations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Best known for her role on “Full House,” Cameron is now filming her tenth Christmas movie for The Hallmark Channel. She has written a New York Times bestseller, was a two-year cohost on “The View,” danced to third place on “Dancing with the Stars” season 18 and starred on Netflix’s five hit seasons of “Fuller House.”
Cameron Bure is a woman of faith who speaks proudly of her love of Jesus Christ and the word of the Bible. Her identification with Christianity is at the heart of her support of The Salvation Army. She acted as a Salvation Army spokesperson on TODAY and matched up to $10,000 in donations to the charity from her social media channels in 2020.
A L.A. native, Cameron Bure counts among her favorite Salvation Army experiences visiting the Bell Shelter in L.A.’s Bell neighborhood, where food is grown nearby, in addition to Salvation Army shelters across the U.S. Growing food for pantries is common in some Salvation Army corps throughout the country, producing healthy fruits and vegetables for people.
With Christmas and the holidays approaching, The Salvation Army Midland Division checked in with Cameron Bure about kettle season and how she’s doing. Cameron Bure talks about staying close to family, including three adult children, during challenging times and how her fitness has turned her life into a fuller experience.
Q: Why is The Salvation Army a good match for you?
Well, I grew up knowing about the Salvation Army, especially with the Red Kettle Campaign. It was a trusted organization that my parents always looked to, whether it was through donating or going to The Salvation Army stores or donating our own things to the store. I always knew the reputation was very good. As we get older, that becomes important to us in choosing our charities. The Salvation Army has always been a longstanding great organization. As a woman of faith and knowing the history behind The Salvation Army, it was pretty much a no-brainer!
Q: What are one or two of your favorite Salvation Army memories?
I’ve been so fortunate to do so many different things with them over the years. I honestly had no idea how big The Salvation Army was, in terms of all of the different facets. I had the privilege of visiting some of the centers all over the country, as well as in Los Angeles. That’s where I live and am from. Seeing the Bell Shelter in Los Angeles, where they grow their own food. There is a little farm across the street that they manage. They feed so many hundreds of people every single day. To see those facilities, I’ve seen so many daycare facilities. It’s just remarkable. It opened my eyes to how much The Salvation Army does. It made it that much better to want to share it with people.
Q: Kettle season is coming up for another year. Why is it a great time to donate to The Salvation Army?
As we know, there are so many people in need. What I love about the Red Kettle Campaign is that your donation stays right in your community, where you donated. I think that’s important. We actually see where those dollars are going to. Sometimes we donate to organizations, and you’re like, I don’t really know where it went. You know it does some good. But when you see know it’s improving the people in your community, someone you may pass by daily, someone you may see at your local coffee shop, people that you may even work with that you didn’t realize need help, maybe with their children and childcare. Turning over a difficult situation, maybe they lost their job and are getting training.
I just love knowing that. That’s what’s special about the Red Kettle Campaign for me. There is no better time. Christmas is traditionally a time of giving, so it is certainly my go-to.
Q: You’re the Queen of Christmas. What’s it like as the Christmas season approaches?
Well, Queen of Christmas because I’ve done so many Christmas movies, mostly for the Hallmark Channel. I’m actually about to start shooting my tenth Christmas movie for The Hallmark Channel this year, which I’m very excited about. Christmas is always so special, particularly because it’s the time we celebrate the birth of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ. That’s what Christmas is really all about. I love that in that season of gifts and Jesus is also a season of giving and helping others. I love that more people are kinder and a little gentler, are a little more friendly during the Christmas season, a little more compassionate, and empathetic. Christmas brings out the goodness in most of us. That’s definitely worthy of a celebration. I just love all things Christmas. What can I say?
Q: What’s it like for you, personally, being at the middle of Christmas celebrations?
Kind of everything. I love Christmas music and food, hot cocoa, gingerbread and turkey. Everything that goes along with Christmas. That includes the crafting and decorating a tree. It’s time spent with family. Music probably is the biggest thing for me. I love, love, love Christmas music so much. I usually start that by early October. It’s just a fun time. I feel like there is almost a childhood spirit that comes out in me at least during Christmastime and gives me permission to feel whimsical, feel a little magical, and be a little extra cheesy with my kindness to others.
Q: What has the pandemic been like for you as a parent and person of faith?
It’s been incredibly difficult. It’s been so many changes for all of us, and for some much, much more difficult for some people. I very much appreciate the work that The Salvation Army does to help people. I know it’s certainly been a time of refocus for me on my family on things that are most important. Of course, it’s always been important to me, but when you’re faced with real life threats and job loss, it certainly puts a different perspective on it. I’m a woman of faith and always have been a woman of faith. My faith is not something I dig into when times are tough. It’s always a part of me no matter what. But I couldn’t go through those tough times without my faith. I find it almost shocking that anyone can because Jesus and the word of God give us so much hope and longing that there is something else ahead and beyond this life. That is incredibly powerful. I’m as much a faithful woman during the hard times as in the celebratory times, just praising and thanking God for all the good things, like I woke up today and am breathing. That’s something to celebrate!
Q: How does your love for Jesus draw you to The Salvation Army?
It’s a huge decision because, ultimately, I believe that we can find solutions for so many people while we’re on the Earth. But there is an afterlife, and there is eternity. I deeply care about one’s soul. That’s why it’s important that when I’m involved in a charity, they also share the gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s why The Salvation Army has always been a natural fit for me.
Q: What are your latest adventures in motherhood?
Well, my kids are all young adults. They’re 19, 21 and 23. So I have just entered the season of being an empty nester. I actually was an empty nester before the pandemic started. My son, my youngest, was in high school but was in Minnesota. I still never really got him back home because he graduated. But now, he’s in college in Virginia. My other two who moved out, they’re older. So, this is definitely a different season of life for me. But my kids don’t need me any less. At least, that’s how I like to think about it. They’re still always calling, and we FaceTime about every other day. We’re a very, very close family. I love it, but it’s different. It’s just weird not to have my kids at home anymore.
Q: How does fitness help your overall sense of wellbeing?
I have loved this journey of fitness. I feel stronger at 45 than I did when I was 20 years old. It’s just every time you get stronger, or I see my muscles from doing more pushups, it keeps me going to want to do more and just keep that up. Really another big part why fitness is important for me is it’s so beneficial to my mental health. I juggle, as we all do, a lot of plates. I not only juggle my family but also work in a lot of different capacities. It can get really difficult. The travel can get strenuous as well. I need to keep my mental health clear. Just sweating that out and all those endorphins really help me a lot. I notice a huge difference when I don’t exercise, how much it can affect me mentally and kind of deal with depression. That’s why I keep going. There are a lot of benefits I get. My mind is most important, and exercise definitely helps that.