While Canberra residents woke up to subzero temperatures on Friday, things are hotting up for The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal this weekend, which aims to raise $300,000 in the ACT.
Whether you’re out and about at Fyshwick Markets or the Canberra Centre, Woden, Belconnen, Gungahlin or Tuggeranong, you will see red and feel the warmth of the Salvos and their army of
volunteers.
This year’s Red Shield campaign calls Australians to dig deep ‘so nobody struggles alone’. And some of the nation’s most prominent citizens have joined them to get the message out.
This week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tried on some Salvo socks for the cause and spoke of his own family’s support for the much-loved charity.
“My mum, although she had nothing, would give to the Salvos every time,” the PM recalled. “I know what it’s like to do it tough. People helped me out when I was young, and my mum.
“This is a part of Australian history. It’s what Australians do. They are very generous and this weekend the Red Shield Appeal is a chance for Australians to take up that principle that people don’t struggle alone … It’s a tough time, with global inflation having an impact, and the Salvos help someone every 17 seconds. And you know every dollar will go towards making a difference.”
The PM was speaking from the Sydney Opera House where he had met the Salvos’ Chief Secretary for Australia Colonel Winsome Merrett to talk about the challenges facing Australians and to promote the Appeal. Joining them were television journalists Joe Hildebrand, Natalie Barr and Jessica Rowe.
Earlier in the week, The Salvation Army released a report based on results from a survey of 1,700
Australians who had used their services over the past 12 months.
The research found that half of respondents could not afford essential health care, 52 per cent are skipping meals to save money and 75 per cent are experiencing housing stress.
The report also showed that households with children were often the hardest hit from financial
pressures. Three-quarters of these households were living below the poverty line. And nearly one in four could not afford to take their child to see a doctor or a dentist, and one in five were unable to provide them with three meals a day.
“Everyone is doing it tough at the moment,” said the Salvos’ Secretary for Mission Captain Stuart Glover. “But for those who were already struggling, the cost-of-living crisis is making it almost impossible for them to survive without help.”
The Salvos offer extensive services across the ACT. These include employment services, emergency
relief, youth services, aged care, drug and alcohol addiction recovery services, financial counselling, crisis and transitional housing for those experiencing homelessness, as well as their faith and community centres.
The Salvos ACT Red Shield Appeal Director Captain Tara McGuigan urged ACT residents to dig deep for the Appeal.
“Across the weekend we will be accessible at all major community hubs and shopping malls. Please come up, say hi and make your donation by either cash or card. In some places you might even score a pair of Salvos socks,” she said.
This year’s Appeal aims to raise $37 million to help fund more than 2,000 services across Australia.
In the ACT, the Salvos’ target is $300,000. To help achieve that goal, on Wednesday next week, local
philanthropists, community and business leaders, federal MPs and ACT MLAs will gather for a Red Shield Appeal Business Breakfast at the Rex Hotel. Master of Ceremonies is Alex Sloane AM and guest speaker is the Hon. Anne Aly MP, Minister for Youth and Early Childhood Education.
