Australian Air League Riverwood Squadron members Chris Bailey and Robert Devitt have notched up between them almost 90 years of volunteering for the annual Salvos Red Shield Appeal.
Chris, 51, the squadron commanding officer, started volunteering for the Red Shield Appeal aged nine and this year will be his 39th Red Shield Appeal doorknock.
Robert, the squadron’s second in charge, has been volunteering for 50 years.
The annual Salvos Red Shield Appeal will be held this Saturday and Sunday and the members of the Australian Air League Riverwood Squadron will be providing a big contingent of volunteers.
Chris said volunteering for the Red Shield Appeal taught him a lot when growing up.
“It was good as a kid volunteering to learn the virtues of giving back and to help the next generation learn the importance of helping,” he said.
This year, Chris will be joined on the annual doorknock by his son, Jake, 13, who is also a member of the Air League.
The Salvos hope to raise $74 million nationally from this weekend’s doorknock appeal and from donations.
The Salvation Army’s National Economic and Social Impact Survey shows that need is greater than ever.
The survey shows the background and needs of the people who have come into 1200 Salvos centres across Australia asking for help over the past year.
It shows that some single parent families are living on less than $16 a day after accommodation expenses.
“One in five people we are seeing are either homeless or living in temporary accommodation,’’ Salvation Army’s Captain Darren Kingston.
Family violence is the leading cause of housing transiency with children at significant risk of social exclusion due to housing instability.
64 per cent of respondents who moved due to family violence say their children had to change schools as a result.
40 per cent of people who were surveyed have moved house an average of three (2.7) times in just 12 months.
86 per cent of clients (and 58 per cent of households with children) report severe deprivation and now go without five or more basic items, for example; medical treatment or three meals a day.
Some clients on Newstart Allowance are having to survive off just $15.29 a day.
People can still volunter by going to the ww.salvos.or.au/volunteer, or by phoning 137258.
They can use this same number ot make a donation.
Donations can also be made at any Westpac branch or Salvos store.
