The number of working people who have registered with the Salvation Army, which has seen an increase in demand, to receive charitable assistance this Christmas echoes the data collected by Sydney's Exodus Foundation last month, which reported a 25 per cent rise in the demand for free meals. For the Salvation Army, calls for end-of-year emergency relief have increased by 20 per cent this year in comparison to December 2013.
According to Major Bruce Harmer of the Salvation Army, the nationwide charity will distribute nearly half a million toys and gifts to Australians in need in 2014, in partnership with the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal. In terms of food assistance, close to 10,000 meals will be served in the period just before Christmas, as well as on the day. Also, it is estimated that around 100,000 food vouchers and hampers will help out vulnerable people this year, and overall, 300,000 Australians will experience an easier Christmas because of the aid they receive from the Salvation Army.
In addition to the increase in demand, the number of working people seeking help has also risen. Captain Craig Wood explained to the ABC:
"The reasons those people see us could include having their hours reduced at work, being casual workers and being unemployed ... there are a rising number of people who are working that have no choice but to seek out an organisation like the Salvation Army."
Furthermore, the number of first-time help seekers has grown rapidly, according to Captain Wood—approximately 30 per cent of the people who have sought help over the last 12 months fit into this category. The ABC Giving Tree and the Smith Family are other charities that are helping Australians this month.