Signs of the holidays are everywhere, and for those feeling the spirit of the season, there are plenty of needs. Here are some.

The local office of The Salvation Army launched its annual Red Kettle campaign Monday in front of stores and businesses across El Paso County.

Bell ringers will be working through Dec. 24, to help raise money to help support the organization’s general operating budget, which provides programs for low-income youths, seniors, veterans and homeless families.

The fundraiser dates to 1891, when a Salvation Army officer looking for a way to cover the cost of the Christmas meal placed an iron pot for passersby at Oakland Ferry Landing in California to throw spare change in, according to the organization’s history. The idea caught on and spread nationwide. The 1897 drive resulted in enough money to feed 150,000 people with Christmas dinners.

In addition to stuffing loose change and bills into kettles, donors can contribute online at coloradosprings.salvationarmy.org.

Take a Turkey to Work Day is Friday. The annual drive for Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Nov. 21.

Individuals and groups of donors, such as workplaces, can drop off frozen turkeys at King Soopers locations. Participating grocery stores in Colorado Springs are: 7915 Constitution Ave., 9225 N. Union Blvd., 6030 Stetson Hills Blvd., 815 Cheyenne Meadows Road and 3250 Centennial Blvd.

In addition, stores at 102 W. 29th St., Pueblo, 3050 W. Northern Ave., Pueblo and the City Market at 131 Market St., Alamosa, will accept frozen turkeys.

Care and Share, the major food bank that has 289 partner agencies throughout southern Colorado, hopes to collect 3,000 turkeys on Friday, according to Nate Springer, president and CEO. The food bank already has 12,000 frozen birds waiting for distribution to needy families next week, he said.

The efforts amount to the community being a small part of Thanksgiving tables for families across the region, he has said in describing the philanthropic drive.

Monetary donations also are being accepted online at careandshare.org/events/turkey.

The 15th annual Chasing Santa 5K & Cycling Santa Toy Drive on Dec. 6 features a Santa spectacle with hundreds of children and adults dressed as Santa walking, running and bicycling for a toy drive to benefit Give it Forward. The Colorado Springs nonprofit helps children and parents in need throughout Colorado Springs.

Presented by Springs Law Group, the event is held at Pima Plaza, an event space at 5725 Mark Dabling Blvd., with Santa suit pickup on Friday and the event opening at 8 a.m. Saturday.

Kids and adults can either walk or bike, all starting at the site and returning to it.

There are three adult cycling routes — a 22-mile, a 10-mile and a 6-mile.

The 5K walk/run and cycling race are followed by a block party from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with food, vendors, activities, music and merriment.

The cycling portion is sponsored and organized by the Buffalo Lodge, which also serves as the turnaround point, where riders can grab waffles and coffee.

​Registration includes a Santa costume and is open at https://www.bikesignup.com/Race/CO/ColoradoSprings/ChasingSanta5kCyclingSanta.

The collective effort of a network of local liquor stores brought in 500 turkeys over four hours on Nov. 15.

Cheers Liquor Mart hosted its 13th annual Trade Your Turkey event and expanded this year’s drive by teaming up with Klix Wine & Spirits, Veterans Liquor, Freedom Liquor and Patriots Liquor.

The 500 turkeys marked a doubling of its usual collection, and all were delivered to Springs Rescue Mission and The Salvation Army for next week’s holiday meals.

“This event shows what happens when local businesses and local people step up together,” organizers said in a statement. “Southern Colorado takes care of its own.”

Rural areas also are asking for the community’s assistance. The Feeding Rural Colorado pantry in Peyton is seeing an increase in demand and wants to raise $2,000 to buy a shed. Just over $800 has been donated to date.

“This shed will be a game-changer for us in several ways,” Dustin Story wrote on GoFundMe. “The new shed will keep our food safe and intact, ensuring that we can continue to provide quality meals to those in need.”

The link is https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-keep-rural-colorado-warm-and-fed.

The Teller County Food Alliance, which consists of Aspen Mine Centers in Cripple Creek, Community Partnership Family Resource Center, Little Chapel Food Pantry in Divide, Community Cupboard Food Pantry in Woodland Park and Teller County, is “facing a food security crisis,” according to the collaborative effort.

Donations can be made online at www.cpteller.org or dropped off at Community Partnership, 701 Gold Hill Place in Woodland Park.

And two big online fundraising drives are nearing: Colorado Gives Day, a statewide drive to benefit hundreds of different types of charities throughout Colorado and that can be selected by the donor, is Dec. 9. Giving has already begun at ColoradoGives.org. The campaign raised $77 million last year.

GivingTuesday is the week before, Dec. 2, a global day of generosity to benefit various charities. The initiative, founded in 2012 to encourage people to “do good,” raised $3.6 billion last year worldwide. Go to GivingTuesday.org.