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Be the hope the Gold Coast community needs this year - Support The Salvation Army's 61st Red Shield Appeal

The Salvation Army

16 May 2025

Be the hope the Gold Coast community needs this year.

Support The Salvation Army’s 61st Red Shield Appeal

The Salvation Army in Gold Coast is calling on the community to sign up for this year’s Red Shield Appeal, raising local funds to support people who are struggling most in our region.

Across Australia the Salvos are aiming to raise $38 million for Australia’s largest and longest-running door-knock appeal, the 61st annual Red Shield Appeal.

“The last few years have been incredibly tough for the hardest hit in our community, and for many that shows no sign of slowing down. We see so many people grappling with increased stress and uncertainty as everyday living has become unaffordable, leading to housing stress, financial hardship, and an inability to get by. At the Salvos we are privileged to support those in our area experiencing hardship, but we cannot do this without the ongoing and loyal support of the community,” said The Salvation Army’s Rendle Williams.

“There is no better way to support your community than by donating or volunteering to the Red Shield Appeal this year, and we need you to partner with us to be the hope our community so desperately needs. We can’t do our work in the community without you,” said Rendle Williams.

The Red Shield Appeal culminates in the Red Shield Weekend (May 24 and 25), and there are a number of ways to get involved throughout the month of May- volunteering by collecting at local shopping centres and other locations, door knocking, online fundraising, organising a collection at your workplace, school or sporting event and making a donation.

Please reach out to your local Salvos to find out more about volunteering opportunities by visiting salvationarmy.org.au/red-shield-appeal 

Across Australia last year, through The Salvation Army’s network of over 400 centres and 2,000 services in areas such as homelessness, family and domestic violence, youth, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, financial hardship and much more, the Salvos provided:**

  • Assistance to one person every 17 seconds
  • More than 1.76 million sessions of care to over 250,000 people in need
  • Over 1.1 million bed nights to those who needed accommodation.
  • More than 1.5 million meals to those who accessed our homelessness services.

To donate or volunteer for The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal or if you need support from the Salvos, visit salvationarmy.org.au or call 13 SALVOS. You can also donate at any Salvos Store.

ENDS


Key Facts:

Social Justice Stocktake for Gold Coast

Earlier this year, The Salvos released their Social Justice Stocktake; a survey which polled over 16,000 Australians and provided national, state, and electoral reports highlighting the biggest issues faced by communities. Within Queensland it was found that 76.8% of people identified the issue of housing affordability and homelessness as the top concern for the community, with the second being financial hardship and inclusion (60.6%)*.

The electorates of Fadden & Moncrieff, like the rest of Australia, is experiencing a housing crisis. In Fadden, 79.6 per cent of people identified housing affordability and homelessness as an issue in the community and 34.2 per cent identified it as an issue for themselves. This is even higher than the result recorded in the 2022 Social Justice Stocktake of 50 per cent for housing affordability and 47.1 per cent for homelessness.  The best estimates available suggest there are around 779 people experiencing homelessness in Moncrieff alone and there is an unmet housing need of 8400 dwellings.  Not having a safe and secure home makes every part of life more difficult. Addressing issues in the housing system (and ending homelessness) is foundational to addressing the other social justice issues identified in this report.

Gold Coast Federal Electorates – 2025 Social Justice Stocktake Reports

*The Salvation Army’s Social Justice Stocktake 2025

Attachments

Salvos Red Shield Appeal 2025 Local Media Release Gold Coast Event.pdf

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