Members of the Salvation Army Hurstville Corps may not be knocking on doors for this year's annual Red Shield Appeal but they will still be only a few clicks away.
This year the Salvos are going online due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will be conducting a Digital Doorknock.
"This year we are unfortunately unable to do our traditional doorknock," Hurstville Salvation Army's Captain Joycelyn McIver said.
"And we are not able to have our static presence at our normal spots such as the railway station or Westfield.
"So we had to find a new way of doing things, hence the Digital Doorknock.
"We may not be out there in public this year but we still need to raise funds, particularly because of COVID," Joycelyn said.
"There's actually a bigger need than before. Not only is the need greater but it is across a broader range of services.
"We are seeing more people coming to us for assistance because they have lost their job due to the COVID pandemic."
Joycelyn is organising the Digital Doorknock with the Salvation Army Hurstville Corps' Captain Sean Li and Captain Lydia Hong.
The Red Shield Appeal 2020 Digital Doorknock is being held through May and June.
People can donate online via the link https://digitaldoorknock.salvationarmy.org.au/t/georges-river-hurstville-salvos
"Or alternatively they can join our team at the Huntsville Georges River Salvation Army and they can put that out there through their own social media network and people can donate to the Salvation Army through them," Joycelyn said.
The Hurstville Salvos hope to raise $50,000 in this year's appeal.
Joycelyn said this will help fund a range of local Salvation Army programs.
"We have a monthly community meal for people who are disadvantaged and in need," she said.
"We also have a Money Care program for financially counselling and a Doorways Care program working with members of the community based on their specific needs, whether it is with housing, Domestic Violence or a number of other things"
"We also have services for people who are feeling social isolation and we run music programs for children and after school programs to teach primary school kids life skills.
"There's a lot of work we do, so we need people's support more than ever."
