Generosity Astounds Salvos

Illawarra Mercury

Tuesday December 30, 2008

By MARIO CHRISTODOULOU

DESPITE global economic uncertainty, the Salvation Army has been flooded with an unprecedented amount of gifts and cash this Christmas.

The Salvos have reported a bumper donations season, with public generosity at one of its highest levels in memory.

"The tougher times are, the more generous the community has been," Salvation Army community services manager Bill Simpson said.

"The amount of help coming from the public has doubled."

Two months ago, there was trepidation. A looming financial crisis threatened to not only increase demand on its services but could have led to a low donation yield.

However, when Christmas came, the opposite occurred.

Whether it was the Federal Government's stimulus package or the community's "dig deep" mentality, the 2008 Christmas period drew a dramatic increase in donations and lower demand on services.

The Wollongong Salvation Army's precarious financial situation is also thought to have been a factor in the donations increase.

The Mercury revealed this month that the development company owning the Salvation Army's Burelli St headquarters had been placed into receivership. A planned new headquarters was far from being completed. Mr Simpson believes this may have led people to find a bit more for charity this Christmas.

Public generosity was on display in a fund-raising drive at Westfield Figtree and Crown St Mall.

"We expected to raise $20,000 and we raised $40,000," he said.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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