Give generously, if you can, the message this Red Shield Appeal

In the past 12 months, one in five children have gone without food for a whole day. That's according to the latest data from The Salvation Army, highlighting how the cost of living remains a crushing pressure on Australian families. Surveying more than 4000 people who had accessed The Salvos for emergency relief assistance, data revealed 86 per cent of participants have reportedly gone without food in the past 12 months just so their kids could eat, with one third saying they faced this daily. Wangaratta Salvos corps officer Stan Oldfield sees the families behind these numbers firsthand, working with Loaves and Fishes to support those doing it tough in our community. "We've seen a fair bit of an increase in people coming for assistance," he said. "I think we [once] saw 15 families in one day." Medical support, food and other essentials are the major expenses many just can't afford. Over one third (36 per cent) of parents surveyed couldn’t afford to visit a doctor, dentist or optometrist when their children needed it, almost one quarter (24 per cent) couldn’t afford their children’s prescription medication and 41 per cent of parents with infants couldn’t afford essentials like formula and nappies. "There are people in there where it's coming down to 'do I put a roof over our heads or put food on the table?," Stan said. This year The Salvation Army aim to raise $41 million by 30 June for their Red Shield Appeal to fund the Salvos’ vital work in areas such as homelessness, family and domestic violence, youth, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, financial hardship and much more. "If you're able to give, please give generously," he said. "I'm expecting donations to be down because everyone is doing it tough... but we're doing what we can." Unlike in the past where the Wangaratta branch had to apply for a portion of funding, Stan said whatever funds the Wangaratta Salvation Army cooperation raises goes straight back into the community. "What happens now is the money we raise in Wangaratta is the money we can use in Wangaratta," he said. "The more we collect, the more people we can help. "One of the things we're doing with last year's money is buying mince, sausages, margarine, milk et cetera for Loaves and Fishes to give out to people, to try and give them balance so it's not just tinned stuff they're getting." As donation collecting starts to roll out, Stan said they will be engaging the help of the Wangaratta Rovers Football Club, who will assist volunteers in collecting at the intersection of Murphy and Reid Street on 31 May. There will be donation collection points at Big W and Woolworths later this May, as normal. You can also donate via their website and, if you need, access support from the Salvos by visiting salvationarmy.org.au or by calling 13 SALVOS. To access services from Loaves and Fishes, contact 0490 509 167. The Salvation Army welcome more volunteers. Contact 0401 886 412 for more information.

Give generously, if you can, the message this Red Shield Appeal

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