After more than 55 years of knocking on doors each May, The Salvation Army is taking the Red Shield Appeal digital in response to COVID-19’s impact on social contact.
Salvos living in communities from Cairns to Albany are asking locals to become digital fundraisers by going to digitaldoorknock.salvationarmy.org.au and using a suburb or postcode to find their nearest Red Shield Appeal to help those doing it tough.
Australians are facing an economic and social crisis unlike anything witnessed in recent decades and The Salvation Army is preparing to provide hardship support on an unprecedented scale.
The Salvos hope to enlist 10,000 virtual collectors to sign up and fundraise for the Red Shield Appeal Digital Doorknock on May 23 and 24 to help meet the challenging times ahead of us.
The Salvation Army’s Major Warren Parkinson says they are anticipating more people in need than ever before.
“We anticipate seeing some of the greatest need that we’ve ever seen in our 140-year history serving Australians. The Covid-19 crisis has financially crippled many Australians and it will take months to see the real impact it will have”.
The money raised from the Red Shield Appeal Digital Doorknock will stay in the Noosa/ Coolum area and help fund emergency relief and particularly the Sunshine Coast Individualised Learning and Support Program.
The Salvation Army’s most recent annual report noted its social services provided more than one million sessions of care to Australians in need; helped 46,000 people experiencing homelessness, provided financial counselling to more than 65,000 and offered care to 13,000 people who were coping with family violence.*
The past year also saw an on-going response to drought, while Salvation Army Emergency
Services responded to the rolling bushfires crisis by providing more than 500,000 meals and refreshments to first responders and displaced people.
“The Salvos are going digital this year and it’s easier than ever to volunteer your time and help raise money for those in need.
“We are asking our local community to partner with us to provide the critical care needed as we face these challenging times. We know when the chips are down, Aussies come together and do what they can to give hope, this is no more important than now,” Major Parkinson said.
Sign up and volunteer to fundraise: digitaldoorknock.salvationarmy.org.au
To leave no one in need, please donate at salvationarmy.org.au or call 13 SALVOS (13 72
58)
