SA charities make Christmas appeal as pandemic hits both the needy and their usual fundraisers

Charities expect to be inundated with demand over Christmas, with the pandemic taking a toll on both vulnerable people and the fundraisers to support them.

Charities are pleading with South Australians to dig deep this Christmas as they prepare to be flooded with people needing help once government COVID payments are scaled back.

While most have already experienced an increase in demand, they expect to be inundated in the coming months, JobSeeker top-up payments and JobKeeper are phased out.

On top of that, their usual fundraising streams have been hampered by the pandemic, leaving their finances shattered.

The charities told The Advertiser they were using their annual Christmas appeals to make sure they were in the best position to help our state’s most vulnerable in the months ahead.

Salvation Army public relations secretary SA/NT Mark Foyle said when COVID-19 first hit in March, there was an influx of people seeking help from the Salvos.

He said this quickly tapered off with the introduction of JobKeeper and JobSeeker.

Mr Foyle said the charity was “bracing ourselves” for a jump in demand as the welfare payments were scaled back and eventually phased out.

“We are expecting a bigger increase next year than what we have seen this year,” Mr Foyle said.

Rachael Zaltron, who founded Backpacks 4 SA Kids in 2013, said by the time COVID hit in March and requests for help came pouring in, the charity was already low on resources from helping children affected by the bushfires.

She said it managed to source a $32,000 State Government grant and was approached by local businesses who donated goods, which are given to young people who are under duress.

“But we have not actually felt the real impact of COVID yet,” Mrs Zaltron said.

“The predictions are that we’re just going to start to see it now.”

She said Christmas donations were well down, with people working from home resulting in a drop in workplaces doing charity collections.

AnglicareSA CEO Peter Sandeman said 2020 had dealt the organisation the double blow of increasing demand but the ability to raise funds “severely hampered”.

“AnglicareSA’s two major fundraising events have been cancelled, leaving a shortfall of more than $100,000,” Mr Sandeman said.

He said the economic impact of COVID-19 would continue to be felt for some time in SAand the charity hoped to raise $190,000 through its Christmas appeal.

It was a similar story at Variety SA, with COVID-19 restrictions forcing the cancellation of some of its major fundraisers, including the Variety 4WD Adventure and annual Variety Ball.

“This has resulted in a downturn of revenue of around 30 per cent, coupled with an increase in demand from vulnerable families,” CEO Mark McGill said.

The Smith Family general manager SA/NT Graham Jaeschke said in an economic downturn, families helped by the charity were “the first to suffer and the last to come out”.

The charity hoped its Christmas appeal would raise $220,000 through donations.

“We really call on people if you have something spare this Christmas, it’s a great time to share because there’s a lot of people out there who need your support,” Mr Jaeschke said.

Treasures Boxes CEO Rikki Cooke said in the week since the Christmas season started, the organisation had received 43 referrals for crisis support, which was well up on previous years.

“In the lead up to Christmas, we know from previous years that referrals to Treasure Boxes will dramatically rise – and mostly from women and their children fleeing domestic violence, and experiencing extreme poverty and homelessness,” Ms Cooke said.

Meals on Wheels SA chief executive Sharyn Broer said during the height of the pandemic in March and April, there was a 20 per cent increase in the number of meals being delivered.

But, she said that number dropped significantly when people could again easily access the supermarket and community centres started serving meals.

Mrs Broer said the pandemic had had a positive spin-off for the charity.

“We had 2500 new volunteers registered in March and April, ready, willing and able to help with our needs during that time, and several hundred remain as volunteers,” she said.

Chipping in to make Christmas merry for kids

Every Tuesday morning, five Vietnam veterans meet to have a natter while they create wooden toys to donate to children in need at Christmas.

The group – Woodvac, or Woodwork Vietnam Armoured Corp – has been meeting in Colonel Light Gardens for the past 14 years.

Woodwork Vietnam Armoured Corp have been making wooden toys for the Salvos Xmas appeal. Pictured from left is the group’s Craig Haydock, Salvation Army’s Mark Foyle, Ian Sach and John Eyre. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Vietnam veteran Craig Haydock said the men made about 130 toys a year, including diggers, bobcats, dolls and cradles, which they donated to the Salvation Army in the lead-up to Christmas.

“Anyone who served in the army will always have a great respect for the Salvation Army,” Mr Haydock said.

“So we know it’s going to a very good cause. Needy parents can go in and get the toys … it gives them a bit of dignity.”

The group started when veteran Mike Donellen bought woodworking machinery from a deceased estate but had no where to store it. “So he set it up another Vietnam veteran’s place and then decided to get a group together to make toys to give to disadvantaged children,” Mr Haydock said.

The president of the RAAC Vietnam Veterans Association SA, who served with the 3rd Calvary Regiment, said the members derived as much pleasure making the 1820 toys over the past 14 years as the children had receiving them.

“It’s great fun, it’s good companionship and it keeps us off the streets,” he said.

Mr Haydock said the group had recently lost its fundraising avenue and was scrambling to find a new way to raise the $1500 needed to buy the materials and tools each year to make the toys.

Members used to help run a carpark for the Royal Adelaide Show season, however, the building that the carpark is attached to has been sold, and Mr Haydock said the new owner wanted to run it for himself. He said the group was desperately trying find a new source of fundraising to ensure that, next Christmas, 130 children can wake to a wooden toy under their tree.