2008 Red Shield Campaign

From the Salvation Army website

Toronto, May 5, 2008 – The Salvation Army is launching the Red Shield Campaign, a fundraising appeal to raise money for programs and services available to the nearly 5 million Canadians living in poverty today.

“The month of May is a critical time for The Salvation Army,” said Graham D. Moore, Territorial Secretary for Public Relations and Development. “Many families across Canada live below the poverty line and the funds raised during this time will help sustain our programs as we continue to serve the marginalized in communities throughout the country”

With a goal of $3 million, money raised during the Red Shield Campaign will go directly to support a vast array of social programs available to Canadian families that includes food banks, practical assistance, shelter, addictions services and street youth outreach.

In addition to this fundraising effort, Salvation Army officers, staff and volunteers will work to raise overall awareness regarding the problem of poverty in Canada. The child poverty rate remains at 11.7%; exactly the same as it was in 1989 and the average low income family survives on an annual income that is $9,000 to 11,000 below Statistics Canada’s before tax low income cut-off. A national Salvation Army advertising campaign will also highlight the problem of poverty in Canada this May, under the tagline “Poverty shouldn’t be a life sentence.”

As the leading non-governmental direct provider of social services in Canada, each year, The Salvation Army:

Provides direct, compassionate, hands-on service to over 1.5 million people
Provides 6,370 shelter beds for the homeless each night, 1/3 of all the shelter beds in Canada
Provides practical assistance to over 900,000 family members
Serves 2.3 million meals to the hungry

The Salvation Army’s Red Shield fundraising Campaign is an annual fundraising event that is in its 89th year. It utilizes online, phone, direct mail and door-to-door appeals to solicit donations from generous Canadians. Giving to The Salvation Army offers an opportunity to invest in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community. Please visit www.SalvationArmy.ca or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY for more information and to donate.

You can also donate at the Salvation Army Community Centre.  If you need more information, contact us at 306.242.6833

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