Appeal cash helps when life gets tough

COLLECTION: Masterton Salvation Army lieutenant Daryn Bishop, collecting during appeal week on Masterton's Queen St. PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK

The Salvation Army has helped out many people who have gone through a tough time at some point in their lives.

This week, the charity is hoping people will donate to their Red Shield Appeal so they can continue to help those in need.

Masterton Salvation Army lieutenant Daryn Bishop said between the Masterton and Carterton centres, their services include helping families through crisis situations, budgeting advice, food parcels, and low cost clothing and furniture at their family stores.

He said for families in Wairarapa, housing and bills sometimes took precedence over buying food.

"People seem to be okay but if they have a car that needs a new tyre or two, or suddenly they have big power bills, they pay that and the thing that gets left out is food."

To help those in need of food, the army supports the community food bank by picking up after hours requests for food parcels.

"The supermarkets are very generous in giving us food items."

Mr Bishop said they also helped women in broken family or abusive situations, referred to them from other community groups.

The family stores were important to being able to run services, he said.

"Everything that we make from the family store goes back into the community."

Items are also broken down for scrap metal which they sell and the money from that goes back into the service.

Mr Bishop said everybody in the community was important in helping out people going through a tough time, whether it was the volunteers collecting, people donating or the community groups and businesses helping out.

"We can't do it without their support."

-Volunteers will be collecting outside Countdown in Masterton today. Donations can also be made by texting RED to 4411 or online at www.salvationarmy.org.nz.