May 2026: Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal
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by
Jayde
On Saturday 30th May, 2026, Chanh Dao took part in the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal intersection collection, walking up and down the intersection during red lights collecting coins, and occasionally notes, from generous motorists. While the exact amount collected by our group is not known, Chanh Dao volunteered a combined 38 hours from 15 participants, representing a value of $950 towards our Charity Fundraising Project goal.
Thank you to our volunteers: Kim Bui, Kien Dao, Jayde Ho, Kevin Ho, Cao Vinh Lam, Thanh Le, Adam Nguyen, Hanh Vi Nguyen, Lily Nguyen, Phukhang Nguyen, Phuong Nguyen, Viet Nguyen, David Tran, Nhu Ngoc Tran and Tho Tran.
Funds raised from the Red Shield Appeal help The Salvation Army deliver vital community programs and social services, such as: Emergency financial assistance, refuge for women and children in crisis, shelter and support for those facing homelessness, crisis, transitional and long-term housing, youth drop-in centres and support programs, emergency and disaster relief (immediate support, all the way to long-term recovery), drug and alcohol addiction recovery and rehabilitation support, employment training programs, and c.haplaincy.
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Hear what our volunteers thought about the experience.
Thọ Trần (Phụ Huynh): “Tôi tham gia trong ngày Red Shield Appeal để giúp những hội hổ trợ người nghèo khổ hoặc bệnh hoạn. Làm việc này, tôi cảm thấy rất vui vẻ – không phải riêng tôi mà người ta cũng được vui luôn. Lúc lắc lon xin tiền, trời lạnh lẽo nhưng lắc lắc như vậy, lòng cảm thấy ắm cúng nên mình khồng còn biết lạnh nữa.”
Lily Nguyễn (Ngành Thanh): “I was interested in volunteering for the Red Shield Appeal as I’ve seen the coin collections for the Red Shield Appeal before and it didn’t seem too demanding so I felt like I could do it too. I was also interested in helping the cause that the Red Shield Appeal was working for because I’ve seen a lot of people on social media document their experiences with homelessness and so I wanted to actually be able to do something about it.
I felt pretty satisfied with myself after participating because I got a few, “Thank you for giving up your time” comments. I was also lowkey scared because I kept turning my head every second to check if the light has gone green…
One moment that stood out to me was when one lady was going to the bank to exchange coins for notes, but she gave me the entire $20 worth of 20c coins which was really kind of her.”
Hạnh Vi Nguyễn (HTr): “Volunteering for the Red Shield Appeal was more fun than I expected. It was heartwarming to see people’s generosity, even during a time of hardship for many, and as a bonus I got in a lot of steps for the day while having a good yap with my fellow coin collectors as we waited for red lights.
I’m glad we had an opportunity to raise a good amount of money for the Red Shield Appeal, but my biggest takeaway from the day was that a kind word and a smile can oftentimes have more impact than money. The day was a reminder that even our briefest interactions with other people can have more significance than we expect.”
