Clicking, not knocking, for Red Shield Appeal

MAJOR Rhonda Elkington anticipates The Salvation Army will experience one of their biggest demands ever for economic and social hardship support in 2020, after fourteen decades of operation.

Although this May’s annual Red Shield Appeal fundraiser is contending with a pandemic, the corps officer at the Ballarat Community Church is encouraging residents to get online and involved with an adapted initiative, the Digital Doorknock.

“The COVID-19 crisis has financially crippled many Australians and it will take months to see the real impact it will have,” Major Elkington said.

The web campaign began a couple of weeks ago, already generating money which stay local and keep the Salvos’ overwhelmed crisis assistance services functional, like homelessness accommodation, support for vulnerable families, community children’s programs, emergency relief, and financial counselling.

The Greater Ballarat Salvos have an established Digital Doorknock fundraising page at digitaldoorknock.salvationarmy.org.au/t/greater-ballarat-salvos where donations can be made directly, assisting their team, or people can set up their own personal campaign.

“We have a goal of $60,000. We need to get as many people as we can on board, to get the message as far and wide as possible. Once people have set up a page, they can then share it,” Major Elkington said.

The Salvos’ Red Shield Appeal has been running for more than 55 years.