After more than 55 years of knocking on doors each May, The Salvation Army is taking its Red Shield Appeal digital in response to coronavirus.
Salvos chapters across the Coast are asking residents to support their digital fundraisers by visiting digitaldoorknock.salvationarmy.org.au and using their suburb or postcode to find their nearest Red Shield Appeal.
The southern end of the Coast has two active chapters with their own appeals, the Gosford Region Salvos and the Umina Beach Corps Salvos.
As of May 27, the Gosford Region Salvos have raised $5031 of their $30,000 appeal goal and the Umina Beach Corps have raised $560 of their $29,185 goal.
Salvation Army Captain, Lesley Newton, said the charitable organisation was anticipating this winter would be unlike any other due to the coronavirus.
“We anticipate seeing some of the greatest need that we’ve ever seen in our 140-year history.
“The COVID-19 crisis has financially crippled many Australians and it will take months to see the real impact it will have,” Cpt Newton said.
Newton added that funds raised by Red Shield Appeals would stay in the regions it was collected in and go directly back into the community to support locals experiencing hardship.
Charitable residents can also launch their own individual Red Shield Appeal for the Digital Doorknock and the advice from Cpt Newton is the more the merrier.
“By creating your own Digital Doorknock appeal, you will have the opportunity to help local people experiencing hardship.
“We know when the chips are down, Aussies come together and do what they can to give hope, this is more important than ever,” Cpt Newton said.
Source:
Press release, May 8
Nicole Jenkinson, Salvation Army