As holiday shoppers hit the city's retail centers in force, so are the Salvation Army bell ringers. 

Their tradition began more than 125 years ago, when a Salvation Army captain sought a way to provide Christmas dinner to 100 people.

So he set up a pot for people to donate change and created an enduring holiday tradition.

Now, donations do more than provide meals. They support communities in a number of ways, including funding after-school programs.