The Salvation Army is encouraging Clarence Valley residents to take part in the annual Red Shield Appeal door-knock on the weekend of May 25 and 26.
“Through our Grafton and Maclean centres, we are regularly helping people with emergency relief,” Captain Martin Herring said.
“Our Grafton centre helps people with emergency relief (that includes financial, food and clothing assistance) and we offer them a place where they can come and talk about the problems they are facing.
“We also help people develop their financial awareness, with the goal of relieving financial stress, and offer counselling to help people achieve life goals beyond their immediate challenges.
“Locally we are helping close to 300 people a month and, more than ever, we need as many volunteers as possible to help raise crucial funds for the Red Shield Appeal.
“Locally, people can donate at one of our static point donation spots in Shopping World Grafton, Grafton Mall, and Bunnings Grafton (Sat and Sun only), Yamba Fair, SPAR in Maclean (Sat only).
“In Grafton we will also be conducting a door-knock event on the 25 and 26 May.
“People can be ready to donate or, if they are able, they may come and be a collector in our door knock appeal.
“If they would like to help with the collecting they can contact the church office on 6643 1650, or turn up at 91 Oliver St at 9am on Saturday 25th and/or Sunday 26th May.
“Children will need supervision by an adult.
“The Red Shield Appeal is a fun and simple way that Australians can really make a difference in alleviating the hardship being faced by so many people, right across our nation.
“Hardship does not discriminate. More Australians from all walks of life are turning to The Salvation Army for help and we need the public’s support now to ensure we can continue to help those doing it tough.”
On a national basis, over the past 12 months the Salvos have supported more than 38,000 people experiencing homelessness, 14,000 people overcoming addiction, provided over 50,000 financial counselling sessions, given care to 5,000 people experiencing family violence, and assisted more than 150,000 people with emergency relief