Blanket donations freeze
TIMES are tough and with winter upon us, blankets are in big demand at Gympie's welfare centres.
With only a few blankets remaining at the start of the season, things were looking pretty grim for struggling individuals and families ill-prepared for the cold.
Especially with forecasts of a cold winter ahead, says Salvation Army welfare manager Gordon Adams.
His son Chris has been helping out in the Family Store and noticed not one day had gone without somebody asking for blankets and coats since the cold snap.
"This is all that's left," he showed The Gympie Times.
Blankets are given away free to the poor through the Salvo's a welfare charity, supported by money raised through the Family Store and donations, including the annual Red Shield Appeal, which did the rounds in Gympie recently.
Despite a lack of volunteers, and only 10% of the community reached, the Salvo's raised nearly $5500 for their mission in helping the poor this winter.
Both Salvos and St Vincent de Paul are again crying out for donations of blankets and warm clothes with their annual winter appeals.
Volunteers had difficulty keeping up with demand for blankets last year and urged residents to donate early before the cold set in.
Noni B in Centro is collecting second-hand jumpers for Mission Australia to distribute.
