December 11, 2024 • 9 mins
The Salvation Army is reiterating pleas for donations for Kiwis in need this Christmas and beyond, saying every cent adds up.
The charity says its appeal this year —which launched last month— is especially important, with one in five New Zealand children living in households struggling for food.
But it says they're in a Catch-22 this year – demand is rising, but donations are declining.
Captain Andrew Wilson, Director of Community Ministries for the Salvation Army, told Kerre Woodham that they’re grateful for every gift, whatever size it is.
He says that even if it’s just a dollar from every person coming through, that very quickly adds up into something they can very easily put together to support their families.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Kerry Wooden Mornings podcast from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
EDB Well, it's less than two weeks till Christmas Day,
and for some families it is going to be pretty bleak.
Captain Andrew Wilson, Salvation Army Director of Community Ministries, joins me. Now,
a very good morning to you.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Good morning to you too, thank you for having me on.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
That's okay, we're just coming up to Christmas and we're
thinking it's been tough. It's been a tough year for
many people who are in work, who might have two
parents working, but I can't even imagine what it's like
for those doing it tough already.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Yeah, we've seen quite a bleak outlook for Christmas, more
so than even this time last year, with our service
demand on the app all across the country. This cost
of living is really having a pinch on everyone. You know,
we've got unemployment on the rise, which has left a
lot of people who would otherwise be and stay places
(01:06):
to look forward to a good Christmas in a place
where they're having to come to us looking for some
extra support this year.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah, just anecdotally, I've heard, you know, from people who
who would never have thought they'd have to look twice
at the price of anything, but for the last six
months they've been doing exactly that. And who normally give
generously to charities, but they're finding it really tough to
spare that cash this year.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
That's all right, everyone's been hard in the pocket, even myself.
I had to take the car and for repairs and
got a little bit of a shock when I saw
the bill for what I thought was a relatively minor repair.
So no, across the board, prices are going up, which
is making this Christmas is a lot harder to put
something specially on the table for families, especially those of needs.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Yeah, absolutely, what do we need to do? Like if you,
is this the worst you've ever seen it in the
time you've been with the Salvation Army?
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Honestly, I haven't been with the Salvation Army too long,
only six years, and so you know, I've certainly seen
our COVID times and the challenges within there. But certainly
times are tough. But you know, we are a creative
bunch of people across the country and so we're certainly
putting to call out there to everyone from from all
walks of life to try and find creative ways to
(02:29):
support both us the Salvation Army and a Christmas appeal,
but just those in your own neighborhoods too. You know,
some great ideas out there around banding together with some
friends or co workers and putting a few dollars together
and using that pot to go out and buy some
gifts or a few extra treats to give into your
local food bank or or Salvation Army. We we've had
(02:53):
a few farmers' markets and Christmas shows approach us to
help let us, you know, shake our Christmas buckets at
their front gates as a way of us raising money.
So there's some some pretty generous and clever people out
there who are finding ways of making every dollar stretch
this Christmas.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Some people might think, you know, if I can't write
a check out, it's going back to nineteen eighty, isn't it.
If you can't make a significant deposit, you know, internet
transaction or cash or what have you, then it doesn't count.
But you know, if you're going to the supermarket to
get your Christmas supplies wood, adding a couple of extra
(03:36):
cans of food and dropping it into the charitable bin,
does that actually help?
Speaker 3 (03:42):
It helps immensely. We've got a great partnership with Woolworth
and other supermarkets across the country, and it's amazing every
year when I get the call to go and pick
up these trolleys, just to see the amazing generosity of
our communities just dropping that one item as they do
their Christmas shop off, or as I say, when we're
standing out front of a Christmas market, or all those
(04:05):
sorts of play is you know, just a dollar by
each each pundit coming in very quickly adds up to
something that we can very easily put together to support
our families.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
What would you rather have money or goods?
Speaker 3 (04:20):
That's that's that's almost an impossible question to answer. I mean,
we do various things across the country, whether it's Christmas
lunches or dinners or things like that, to handing out
Christmas guests to Christmas hampers. So what one thing is
we do encourage is for people to go into their
local salation army and ask that question of them, because
(04:43):
it can vary across the country. It makes but you know,
I would also, I guess encourage those who don't know
or can't decide to jump on our website and just
give a cash donation. That's certainly the way that can
get the best money into the best places, the quickst
I would say, so even.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
If people have got two dollars, five dollars, that is
welcome because it.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Will all lead up absolutely, that's it. You know, you
imagine a country of five million if if we all
just gave a dollar each, you know they would they
would be a radical impact to our families this year
and a legacy into the new year. You know, we
we support people right throughout the year, and Christmas is
at a time where people come together and with that
(05:27):
real community spirit. But for us that lasts well into
the new years as we continue to support people with
our wrap around services. So our Christmas appeal is certainly
one thing that we use to leave that lasting legacy
throughout the year.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Yeah, it's I think a lot of people too have
have had a bad encounter with some of those charity
muggers or chuggers outside supermarkets and they want to give cash,
and they'll say, no, that's not good enough. You have
to sign up or have a regular sure donation. But
that's not you you.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Yeah, I mean, certainly not wanting to reign on anyone
else's parade. But you know, we do our best. You know,
we'll obviously none for our red shield or peel in
around May where we just stand outside various places taking
our bucket, our donation bucket. I don't think any general
bucket will will necessarily do too much. But you know,
(06:29):
we know that even in today's age, people do have
cash laying around, and we have gotten relatively clever and
trying to move into the twenty first century with paywaves,
different devices and phones been able to do all sorts
of magic things. But we do know that, you know,
that sporadic generosity throughout the year, as we keep coming
(06:50):
back to, does all that up. And so we're grateful
for anything that people can either drop on the bucket
or donate online for sure.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Yeah, and what about the numbers of people coming to
you and need you know, I know from having done
adopt a family for a number of years with Salvation Army,
you work with a lot of families who are trying
to get back on their feed after job loss or
alcohol or drug addiction, and yeah, that sort of thing
and getting into financial trouble with debt and second or
(07:20):
third tier lenders. What sort of situation of people finding
themselves in at the moment.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
So my local community, we've seen arise across all of
our various services between fifteen and twenty percent, and especially
for a more intensive care that's probably the wrong choice
of words, but for our counseling services and that line
of support, it's essentially ballooning at the moment. And our
(07:50):
team constantly are sharing how often when people come present
their situations are becoming more and more complex than what
they used to. And you know, our team is quite
a seasoned crew. You know, We've got people have been
in the work for twenty plus years and so for
them to say, you know, things are getting worse than
(08:11):
they're saying, you know, that's that's definitely a statement.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
So every little bit helps, and I'm sure that will,
you know, make some people feel better to know that
their five bucks can actually go a long way towards helping.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Absolutely, it's incredible. You know. One of the most humbling
moments I have in the calendar is the day that
we do hand out these hampers and Christmas gifts to
people and whatever their walk of life has been for
that year or longer. It's it's incredibly special. To see
the look on these people's faces where you know, oftentimes
(08:46):
they come and we often have our guests spread out
for our families to choose for themselves, and they're just
picking up the small items that would you know, maybe
only cost a few dollars, and often our job is
to encourage them actually know you and your family are
worth more than that, so you know, help yourself to
a few extras. But those small gifts and donations is
(09:08):
again we keep coming back to, they do one hundred
percent all that up and so we're grateful for every gift,
whatever size it is.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Thank you so much for your time, Captain Andrew Wilson,
Salvation Army Director of Community Ministries. Have a very merry Christmas,
and I hope as many of your people have as
good a Christmas as they possibly.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Can too, And Merry Christmas to you too. God bless
For
Speaker 1 (09:32):
More from carry Wood and Mornings, Listen live to news
talks it Be from nine am weekdays, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Kerry Wooden Mornings podcast from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
EDB Well, it's less than two weeks till Christmas Day,
and for some families it is going to be pretty bleak.
Captain Andrew Wilson, Salvation Army Director of Community Ministries, joins me. Now,
a very good morning to you.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Good morning to you too, thank you for having me on.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
That's okay, we're just coming up to Christmas and we're
thinking it's been tough. It's been a tough year for
many people who are in work, who might have two
parents working, but I can't even imagine what it's like
for those doing it tough already.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Yeah, we've seen quite a bleak outlook for Christmas, more
so than even this time last year, with our service
demand on the app all across the country. This cost
of living is really having a pinch on everyone. You know,
we've got unemployment on the rise, which has left a
lot of people who would otherwise be and stay places
(01:06):
to look forward to a good Christmas in a place
where they're having to come to us looking for some
extra support this year.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah, just anecdotally, I've heard, you know, from people who
who would never have thought they'd have to look twice
at the price of anything, but for the last six
months they've been doing exactly that. And who normally give
generously to charities, but they're finding it really tough to
spare that cash this year.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
That's all right, everyone's been hard in the pocket, even myself.
I had to take the car and for repairs and
got a little bit of a shock when I saw
the bill for what I thought was a relatively minor repair.
So no, across the board, prices are going up, which
is making this Christmas is a lot harder to put
something specially on the table for families, especially those of needs.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Yeah, absolutely, what do we need to do? Like if you,
is this the worst you've ever seen it in the
time you've been with the Salvation Army?
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Honestly, I haven't been with the Salvation Army too long,
only six years, and so you know, I've certainly seen
our COVID times and the challenges within there. But certainly
times are tough. But you know, we are a creative
bunch of people across the country and so we're certainly
putting to call out there to everyone from from all
walks of life to try and find creative ways to
(02:29):
support both us the Salvation Army and a Christmas appeal,
but just those in your own neighborhoods too. You know,
some great ideas out there around banding together with some
friends or co workers and putting a few dollars together
and using that pot to go out and buy some
gifts or a few extra treats to give into your
local food bank or or Salvation Army. We we've had
(02:53):
a few farmers' markets and Christmas shows approach us to
help let us, you know, shake our Christmas buckets at
their front gates as a way of us raising money.
So there's some some pretty generous and clever people out
there who are finding ways of making every dollar stretch
this Christmas.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Some people might think, you know, if I can't write
a check out, it's going back to nineteen eighty, isn't it.
If you can't make a significant deposit, you know, internet
transaction or cash or what have you, then it doesn't count.
But you know, if you're going to the supermarket to
get your Christmas supplies wood, adding a couple of extra
(03:36):
cans of food and dropping it into the charitable bin,
does that actually help?
Speaker 3 (03:42):
It helps immensely. We've got a great partnership with Woolworth
and other supermarkets across the country, and it's amazing every
year when I get the call to go and pick
up these trolleys, just to see the amazing generosity of
our communities just dropping that one item as they do
their Christmas shop off, or as I say, when we're
standing out front of a Christmas market, or all those
(04:05):
sorts of play is you know, just a dollar by
each each pundit coming in very quickly adds up to
something that we can very easily put together to support
our families.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
What would you rather have money or goods?
Speaker 3 (04:20):
That's that's that's almost an impossible question to answer. I mean,
we do various things across the country, whether it's Christmas
lunches or dinners or things like that, to handing out
Christmas guests to Christmas hampers. So what one thing is
we do encourage is for people to go into their
local salation army and ask that question of them, because
(04:43):
it can vary across the country. It makes but you know,
I would also, I guess encourage those who don't know
or can't decide to jump on our website and just
give a cash donation. That's certainly the way that can
get the best money into the best places, the quickst
I would say, so even.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
If people have got two dollars, five dollars, that is
welcome because it.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Will all lead up absolutely, that's it. You know, you
imagine a country of five million if if we all
just gave a dollar each, you know they would they
would be a radical impact to our families this year
and a legacy into the new year. You know, we
we support people right throughout the year, and Christmas is
at a time where people come together and with that
(05:27):
real community spirit. But for us that lasts well into
the new years as we continue to support people with
our wrap around services. So our Christmas appeal is certainly
one thing that we use to leave that lasting legacy
throughout the year.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Yeah, it's I think a lot of people too have
have had a bad encounter with some of those charity
muggers or chuggers outside supermarkets and they want to give cash,
and they'll say, no, that's not good enough. You have
to sign up or have a regular sure donation. But
that's not you you.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Yeah, I mean, certainly not wanting to reign on anyone
else's parade. But you know, we do our best. You know,
we'll obviously none for our red shield or peel in
around May where we just stand outside various places taking
our bucket, our donation bucket. I don't think any general
bucket will will necessarily do too much. But you know,
(06:29):
we know that even in today's age, people do have
cash laying around, and we have gotten relatively clever and
trying to move into the twenty first century with paywaves,
different devices and phones been able to do all sorts
of magic things. But we do know that, you know,
that sporadic generosity throughout the year, as we keep coming
(06:50):
back to, does all that up. And so we're grateful
for anything that people can either drop on the bucket
or donate online for sure.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Yeah, and what about the numbers of people coming to
you and need you know, I know from having done
adopt a family for a number of years with Salvation Army,
you work with a lot of families who are trying
to get back on their feed after job loss or
alcohol or drug addiction, and yeah, that sort of thing
and getting into financial trouble with debt and second or
(07:20):
third tier lenders. What sort of situation of people finding
themselves in at the moment.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
So my local community, we've seen arise across all of
our various services between fifteen and twenty percent, and especially
for a more intensive care that's probably the wrong choice
of words, but for our counseling services and that line
of support, it's essentially ballooning at the moment. And our
(07:50):
team constantly are sharing how often when people come present
their situations are becoming more and more complex than what
they used to. And you know, our team is quite
a seasoned crew. You know, We've got people have been
in the work for twenty plus years and so for
them to say, you know, things are getting worse than
(08:11):
they're saying, you know, that's that's definitely a statement.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
So every little bit helps, and I'm sure that will,
you know, make some people feel better to know that
their five bucks can actually go a long way towards helping.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Absolutely, it's incredible. You know. One of the most humbling
moments I have in the calendar is the day that
we do hand out these hampers and Christmas gifts to
people and whatever their walk of life has been for
that year or longer. It's it's incredibly special. To see
the look on these people's faces where you know, oftentimes
(08:46):
they come and we often have our guests spread out
for our families to choose for themselves, and they're just
picking up the small items that would you know, maybe
only cost a few dollars, and often our job is
to encourage them actually know you and your family are
worth more than that, so you know, help yourself to
a few extras. But those small gifts and donations is
(09:08):
again we keep coming back to, they do one hundred
percent all that up and so we're grateful for every gift,
whatever size it is.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Thank you so much for your time, Captain Andrew Wilson,
Salvation Army Director of Community Ministries. Have a very merry Christmas,
and I hope as many of your people have as
good a Christmas as they possibly.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Can too, And Merry Christmas to you too. God bless
For
Speaker 1 (09:32):
More from carry Wood and Mornings, Listen live to news
talks it Be from nine am weekdays, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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