New Kwinana soldiers Carol Russell, Ange Jackson, Nicole O'Connor and Andy Schatz. Image: Facebook The Kwinana Corps in Western Australia recently welcomed four new soldiers in a service on 24 May. Carol Russell, Ange Jackson, Nicole O'Connor and Andy Schatz were welcomed as soldiers following their covenant to the lifestyle and beliefs of The Salvation Army. They also testified that they worship God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit and have accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour. They affirmed their dedication to the work and mission to which Christ has called The Salvation Army, and committed themselves to being a part of local mission. “Say hello to Australia’s newest soldiers!” The Kwinana leadership team wrote on their Facebook page. “We are so blessed to have these four as part of our church community and are excited to see how God works through them to impact lives for his kingdom.”

Commissioner Miriam Gluyas shares a heartfelt message for National Reconciliation Week, encouraging The Salvation Army to be All In together. In this address, she highlights the importance of cheering one another on, fostering a positive and inclusive culture, and standing together in unity. As we reflect and look ahead, she reminds us that real change begins with how we support and uplift each other every day. Let’s keep building a culture of respect, encouragement and reconciliation – together.

Channel Nine's Tony Jones interviewing Robin Khuda at the Melbourne Red Shield Appeal Luncheon. Image: Bernie Wright Photography. The Victoria Division’s Red Shield Appeal Luncheon took place on 28 May with a crowd of 450 present. The event featured some powerful speeches and presentations, world class entertainment and corporate leaders and philanthropists from across Melbourne demonstrating a strong desire to support the work of The Salvation Army. Master of ceremonies Tony Jones of Channel Nine greeted a full house at the Crown Palladium, introducing special guests including the Honourable Nick Staikos MP, Minister for Housing and Building and Minister for Suburban Rail Loop, Victoria, and Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush, along with Commissioner Miriam Gluyas and other Salvation Army leaders. Nick Staikos. Image: Bernie Wright Photography. After a Welcome to Country from Uncle Perry Wandin, Divisional Commander Major Mal Davies took to the stage to offer some opening comments and a prayer. He spoke of the pressures facing people in the current economic climate and The Salvation Army's readiness to offer support, quoting Catherine Booth by saying, “There is no reward equal to that of doing the most good to the most people in the most need”. Nick Staikos spoke of the highly valued and close working relationship the Housing Department had with The Salvation Army, including providing funding for many building projects, and he also announced a gift of $150,000 to the Red Shield Appeal. Tony Jones then interviewed Robin Khuda, the founder and CEO of AirTrunk, one of the fastest-growing technology companies in the world; Robin is also a director on the board of the Business Council of Australia. Robin spoke of moving to Australia from Bangladesh as a child and knowing economic hardship as well as social disadvantage and discrimination. Having worked hard to pay his way through university, he then started a small IT company which has continued to grow. He spoke of how this initiative reached a point some years ago when they could start giving back, and part of this was his philanthropic support of The Salvation Army. Robin spoke of the intersection of the corporate and community support worlds, and he encouraged those in the room to give generously to the Red Shield Appeal. After a superb lunch, with backing music provided by Jerson Trinidad, Anthony Callea performed three songs, speaking warmly of the contribution The Salvation Army makes to the fabric of Australian society. He sang two songs on a theme of love for others and concluded with his well-known rendition of The Prayer. The stage then belonged to Cameron McDonald for the next 15 minutes, as she delivered a powerful and moving testimony of her life of abuse and trauma before coming to The Salvation Army for assistance and finding “home”. Cameron McDonald. Image: Bernie Wright Photography. She concluded by saying, “Practical support matters, but what changes people most profoundly is being treated with dignity and compassion. Every single person I have had the privilege of meeting through the Salvos has done exactly that”. She was thanked with a prolonged and heartfelt round of applause from all in attendance. Time was then allocated for diners to make a financial contribution to the Red Shield Appeal, most using a QR code to quickly access donation services. Commissioner Miriam Gluyas followed this by presenting two awards to revered supporters of The Salvation Army. The Others Award was presented to George Andrianopoulos on behalf of AA Holdings, who have supported the Red Shield Appeal with philanthropic gifts for 40 years. The Eva Burrows Award was then presented to Thomas Cameron in recognition of the 45 years of support the George W Vowell Foundation had given The Salvation Army, as well as his 14 years of service chairing the Corporate and Philanthropic Committee. To close, Chief Secretary Colonel John Chamness spoke of the hope The Salvation Army seeks to provide to those in need. He challenged diners not to leave the room and forget the stories they had heard, but to be challenged by them and seek to continue making a difference. All images courtesy Bernie Wright Photography.

Violet Love is a proud Gamilaroi woman who works as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Officer at TSA. Image: Supplied Violet Love is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Officer at The Salvation Army. On Violet’s great-grandfather’s side, she is part of the Gamilaroi nation. Their area extends from Western Queensland down to Northern New South Wales. Violet is immensely passionate about helping Mob transition into meaningful careers. As she says, "I hope that by doing this, I can help Mob to achieve their goals and strive for a better future.” Why would you encourage all Australians to be or become involved in National Reconciliation Week? I would encourage all Australians to be involved in National Reconciliation Week so that they can be part of the ongoing healing journey that Reconciliation Australia aims to achieve. By becoming involved in your local community’s National Reconciliation Week activities – often held in your nearby educational institutions – we are working towards promoting a better understanding of history, how it affected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the generations that followed, until our current day. This includes learning more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, the importance of the dates of the week – from 27 May to 3 June – and also 26 May (the day prior) – National Sorry Day, which holds significance as this day marked the first nationally televised apology from the Australian Government to the Stolen Generation, and continues to be commemorated each year. It is also about touching on Australia’s colonial history and how it affected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including the devastation that occurred when they were forcibly removed from Country, the war that occurred between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, and the genocide, violence, racism and consequential generational trauma that still exists within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities today. From a human being standpoint, it is important to learn and have a better understanding and empathy, as a fellow neighbour ‘on Country’ and ‘in Australia’. By becoming involved, you are taking the first steps towards acknowledging its occurrence and being able to walk together as one community, reducing racism and discrimination in our current landscape, and building a better and more prosperous Australia for all our generations to come. What are some of the specific ways people can celebrate National Reconciliation Week? You could organise an event and register it on Reconciliation Australia’s website, or simply make time to learn about the history of the week, dates involved and why they are important. Share your discoveries with your colleagues and friends over a coffee and encourage discussions. Have a yarn to your friends and colleagues who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander about your findings and ask them any questions to show your interest to learn more and have a better understanding. This is often appreciated by our people as it shows us you have a commitment to learn more. Check out social media platforms to find local events, information and learning tools. Instagram and Facebook are among the main platforms used by Reconciliation Australia. LinkedIn also runs campaigns focusing on Indigenous inclusion in the workplace, while YouTube hosts dedicated videos and campaigns, including Reconciliation Australia resources and other content led by Indigenous peoples. Why is the 2026 theme ‘All in’ so timely and important? We, as a community, are all human. We all experience challenges, hardships and sometimes, heartache. Having someone else to talk to or lean on is often the difference between a sad ending or a good news story. For indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals to walk and work together, this can lead us into a future where all people have an opportunity to feel more connected, supported, and more likely to help or ask for help if needed. Healing cannot heal on its own – it requires elements of care, trust, kindness, patience and empathy, from all community members, to create a better future for us, our children and their generations to come.

This week is a time to consider the broader national journey toward reconciliation, writes Jasmine Hutchinson. BY JASMINE HUTCHINSON National Reconciliation Week 2026 calls for all of us to be ‘all in’ for reconciliation – united in our vision and efforts for a just, equitable and reconciled Australia. How that translates into action looks different for everyone. For Jasmine and her family, reconciliation was a calling guided by faith, focused on transforming lives through everyday acts of care, humility and love. Growing up, I was largely unaware of a world divided along racial lines. I did not view my heritage as something requiring defence or explanation. Instead, I was raised by two principled and compassionate parents who instilled in me – from an early age – a clear understanding of right and wrong, a commitment to loving others, and a deep respect for elders. In our household, compassion was not abstract – it was practised daily. My parents consistently extended care to those in need, whether through providing meals, shelter, or simple acts of generosity. Their actions reflected a quiet but unwavering belief in the importance of supporting others. A defining moment for our family occurred in 1986 during a visit to my aunt and uncle. It was there that they were given a piece of paper bearing a photograph of my brother as an infant, accompanied by the words, ‘I need a home’. At the time the photograph was taken, he was just six weeks old. This moment unfolded against the backdrop of significant legislative change in Australia, where policies had shifted to ensure that Aboriginal children could be adopted by Aboriginal families, recognising the vital importance of cultural identity, connection and belonging. In January 1987, at 14 months of age, my brother was formally welcomed into our family. His adoption was not simply a legal process, but the beginning of a lifelong bond grounded in love, care, and shared identity. Following this, my parents made a sustained commitment to supporting vulnerable children. They became foster carers for Aboriginal children and provided emergency care for others in need, continuing this work into the early 2000s. Over the years, our home became a place of refuge and stability for many children, shaped by consistency, compassion, and a strong sense of responsibility to others. As we reflect during National Reconciliation Week, these experiences take on renewed meaning. For many, this week is a time to consider the broader national journey toward reconciliation – acknowledging history, strengthening relationships, and building respect between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the wider community. Jasmine Hutchinson. Image: Supplied For our family, however, the way we understand this journey is deeply personal. In conversations with my parents today, we do not primarily frame their actions within the language of reconciliation or policy. While others may interpret their contributions through that lens, our understanding is grounded in something quieter and more immediate. We see it as a calling. It was not a role they pursued for recognition, nor one defined by public discourse. Rather, it was a path that unfolded naturally – guided by faith and a shared belief in serving others. We believe it was something God chose for us. In living out that calling, my parents impacted many lives in profound and lasting ways – not through grand gestures, but through consistent acts of care, humility and love. In the context of National Reconciliation Week, this reflection does not stand apart from the national conversation, but alongside it – a reminder that reconciliation can also be expressed through everyday actions, personal responsibility, and a commitment to walking with others in dignity and respect. Jasmine is a proud Wakka Wakka woman who works as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Officer for The Salvation Army Employment Plus. This story first appeared here.

At The Salvation Army, we believe everyone deserves to be met with love, dignity and respect. We share our commitment to inclusion across Australia in honouring First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of this land, welcoming people of all cultures, languages, backgrounds, abilities, gender identities and sexual orientations, and walking alongside every community we serve with cultural sensitivity and care. Guided by our values of integrity, compassion, respect, diversity and collaboration, we are here for everyone. We love unconditionally, because God first loved us.

1. What is your current appointment, and what do you find most satisfying about it? Hornsby Gateway Corps in the NSW/ACT Division is where my wife, Captain Lydia Hong, and I currently serve. This is our sixth year here. Alongside our church, we’re involved in several community ministries, including local welfare support, a Family Store, a Community Café, Employee Plus (EPlus), and a Youth STEM Club. We really enjoy serving here. What brings me the most joy is building different faith pathways in Hornsby – creating opportunities for people in the community to encounter God and His truth. For example, we partner with TAFE (work skills training program) and EPlus. They sometimes refer clients – people who are looking for jobs – to our Community Café or Family Store. These clients can serve as volunteers to gain some initial or renewed work experience. We are always happy to support them. We want them to feel welcomed and valued. At the same time, they get to see the love and patience of Christ through us as a church. Some people in the community first come just to gain work experience, but over time, their hearts begin to change. Some have become Christians and started coming to church. Building these kinds of faith pathways is very meaningful to me. It gives me a deep sense of purpose and fulfilment – it feels like I’m living out my calling. I really enjoy collaborating with other departments and community organisations to help bring people closer to God. There’s something truly special about that. 2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind? Outside of ministry, I like to relax in different ways. I’m quite flexible about it. The main goal for me is to focus on something simple and not think about ministry for a while. That helps me rest both physically and mentally. For example, I might go to the gym, play PC games, or read while listening to music. I also enjoy having coffee with my wife or catching up with friends. Sometimes, I like to learn something new as well. It really depends on how much free time I have and how I’m feeling at the time. 3. What’s a favourite Christian song and why do you like it? One of my favourite songs is ‘Be Still, for the Presence of the Lord’. I love it not only because the melody is calm and gentle, but also because the meaning is very deep. The lyrics paint a beautiful picture of worship, from being still, to becoming aware of God’s presence, to seeing His holiness and glory, to experiencing His power, and then responding in faith. This journey really reminds me that when we come before God, we need both a sense of reverence for who He is, and trust in His power and grace. I especially like to listen to this song after I’ve finished preparing a Sunday sermon, or at the end of my quiet time with God. It helps me pause and reminds me not to just keep doing things, but to be still in His presence. 4. If you could have a good talk with a biblical character apart from Jesus, who would it be and what would you talk about? One day, when I get to heaven, it might feel so holy and overwhelming that I may not even feel ready to go straight to Jesus right away. But I would definitely love to visit Peter, one of His disciples, and sit down with him over a cup of coffee. I’d love to hear him share about his life journey. Peter feels very real to me. He was passionate, but he also had his failures. I would really want to ask him how he faced Jesus again after denying Him three times. Because I have my own weaknesses too – actually, quite often – and I would really like to know how he walked through that difficult season. I think that turning point in Peter’s life is something I can learn a lot from. 5. If you were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked if you recommended officership or not, what would you say? If you ask me whether I would recommend officership, I wouldn’t quickly say ‘yes’, because this path is not easy. Officership is very different from a career in business or industry. But if you are clear that this is God’s calling for you, then I would say it is a challenging but very worthwhile journey. I can honestly say that I am still being shaped through it. READ MORE: An officer’s ‘God moment’ on a train More information on Salvation Army officership can be found here.

The Salvation Army Communities for Children worker Katrina Higgins (back left) with the Travelling Tea Party at the Ouse Family Fun Day in Tasmania’s Central Highlands. BY LAUREN MARTIN For the past 20 years, The Salvation Army has been the Facilitating Partner for the Federal Government’s ‘Communities for Children’ (CfC) program in Logan (Qld), Ingle Farm (SA) and South East Tasmania. This program engages and supports community partners in delivering programs for children aged 0-12 and their families. Now, with changes to the program on the way, Salvation Army CfC workers in South East Tasmania have been holding ‘Travelling Tea Parties’ across the region to gain feedback from stakeholders. Salvation Army Communities for Children Manager Liana Harding said the ‘Travelling Tea Party’ idea was a way to make stakeholder and community engagement less formal and more relational. Having worked in South East Tasmania communities of Brighton, Derwent Valley, Central Highlands and Southern Midlands for close to 20 years, the CfC team has built strong relationships. A travelling tea party at Hamilton Hall in the Central Highlands, held right after a playgroup (Playgroup Tas is one of the CfC community partners.) Last year, the Federal Government announced a new approach to programs for children, families and service providers. Liana said it was important for her team to share these changes with the communities that CfC supports. “We see this new chapter as an exciting ‘opportuniTEA’,” she emphasises, “With a lot of ‘possibiliTEAs’, and as such have been holding tea parties across the region – to sit down and chat with our stakeholders over a cuppa and a biscuit, and hear directly their challenges, queries and aspirations.” Liana’s CfC colleague, Katrina Higgins, said they have received so much great feedback. “Some communities are so remote, and we wondered if we were doing enough, but their feedback was, ‘You are here for us when no one else is,’ which is a great affirmation.” Many of the Travelling Tea Parties have taken place at community halls, cafes and other activities supported by CfC, such as the Ouse Family Fun Day in the Central Highlands, where children also gave feedback on a large sheet of butcher’s paper. “We added some fun activities,” said Katrina. “Like wooden tea party sets and cake sets for the kiddies, and set up the butcher’s paper on a table and then found that the kids themselves were coming and wanting to contribute … and service providers were there and parents and grandparents, it was really powerful.” At a Tea Party in Brighton, held at the Tagari Lia Child and Family Learning Centre, people spoke about the importance of human connection and trust, as well as access to high-quality services and trusted local workers. The Travelling Tea Party at Brighton, hosted by the Tagari lia Child and Family Learning Centre in Bridgewater. Through the Travelling Tea Parties, feedback, ideas, challenges, and learnings have been gathered from service providers, community members, families, and local decision-makers. The Salvation Army’s Communities for Children in Tasmania will collate the information, share it with the community, and use it to inform a potential tender submission for the Federal Government’s new national program when further details are announced. (Left) The travelling tea party tea-chest has been put together with items from Salvos’s Stores, and personal contributions from CfC and TSA staff, including Grandmother’s treasures handed down and special contributions for community members. (Right) Communities for Children in Southeast Tasmania designed a ‘Travelling Tea Party’ as a relaxed way of meeting with stakeholders to gain feedback on the service.

In Lviv, Western Ukraine, this sign hangs on a fence next to a statue protected by scaffolding. Tulips are growing in a garden at the end of a leafy boulevard. A peaceful scene in many ways, and yet the evidence of war is everywhere. Salvos Online journalist SIMONE WORTHING and her husband Cliff have recently returned from a deployment with International Headquarters Emergency Services, assisting at various corps in the Ukraine Division of the Eastern Europe Territory. While there, Simone wrote this report, providing a snapshot of the work of The Salvation Army, the people impacted, and some personal reflections. Content warning: This story contains descriptions of grief, loss and war. Please read at your discretion. As we travelled around Central and Western Ukraine and visited corps in these regions, our hearts broke at the impact of more than ten years of war in this beautiful country. And yet, as these brave, focused, faith-filled yet exhausted and grieving people show, there is hope – even if sometimes it struggles to find its place in the fear, destruction, death and trauma of war. Despite the deep sadness of seeing so many lives impacted by more than a decade of war, we are humbled and inspired by this journey and the light that God is shining here through The Salvation Army. The seven corps (not all pictured here) and one outpost of Ukraine are spread around the country. Faces of Ukraine “I like coming here to the corps,” said Ludmila*. “I have nowhere else to go, nobody else to spend my time with. Here I meet new people, make new friends. God is here. The officers are kind and compassionate. People care. It lifts my soul and gives me hope, and I really thought I had run out of hope.” Ludmila, a middle-aged woman, has been living in extremely basic student accommodation in Central Ukraine for four years. She fled her home, her neighbourhood and all she had known and worked for when Russian troops stormed into her village in the now temporarily-occupied territories of Eastern Ukraine. She left the constant shelling, bombing of buildings, death, destruction and danger, fearing for her life and not knowing if she could ever return. Nadia is also from the temporarily occupied territories. “We had our own house, our own little garden that we had worked on and built for years. The Russians bombed and destroyed it, and now we have nothing. I don’t know if we will ever be able to return. I have run out of tears; I simply don’t know how to cry anymore.” Nadia now works at a corps in Central Ukraine, assisting with corps programs as much as she can, including voluntarily. “Being here in this supportive environment, worshipping God, knowing I am cared for and loved, keeps me going and helps to heal my shattered heart. I am learning to laugh again.” Fellowship and support at the corps is a social and spiritual lifeline to the many who have fled destroyed homes and livelihoods in the occupied territories. Marina also fled with her young family from the Eastern regions, fearing for their lives as shooting erupted all around them. They joined a queue to leave on the only road out of town. “We saw terrible things, images I will never forget, but we made it out alive. And now here, we have found The Salvation Army – a miracle. My children are blossoming in the after-school program, they are smiling again, and my husband and I can work to pay our bills, knowing our children are loved, looked after and safe. I thank the God I never knew existed until now.” A senior soldier at a corps in Western Ukraine says that, perhaps strangely, she finds that she can feel moments of joy more deeply as the war continues, but they’re harder to find. “I need these moments, and look for them every day in flowers, sunshine, children. I find friendships at The Salvation Army, and I love to worship God here.” The after-school program, which operates in corps across Ukraine, is impacting the lives of children, their families and communities educationally, emotionally, socially and spiritually. Thousands of IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) have fled the fighting in Eastern Ukraine to find safer locations within the country – although, as we are constantly reminded, nowhere is completely safe. The influx of people has driven up rental and food prices in many of these small towns and villages, leaving many to struggle to survive. Those who do not receive the small government assistance provided to those who can prove their homes are unliveable due to attacks often have to work multiple jobs to cover basic living costs. This stress and exhaustion adds to their trauma and grief. The Salvation Army assists with vouchers for food and essentials, as well as social, pastoral and emotional support. The difference this help and support makes is life changing. The voucher distribution program enables recipients to purchase what they need locally. Food parcels are also given out as available. Working together “I thought my heart couldn’t take anymore terrible news,” shared a Salvation Army officer. “And then I heard on news just a few seconds of a woman crying after hearing that her husband had been killed, and my heart broke for her. How can she recover from this tragedy? “I don’t know her, I have never been to her region, but we are all human, living through this together.” Helping each other, whether it’s corps members, volunteers, local communities or those from all over Ukraine, is a focus of The Salvation Army in this war-torn country. Corps programs include humanitarian aid through vouchers, Bible studies, women’s and men’s groups, the nation-wide after-school program, youth groups, choirs, free secondhand clothing, art therapy, music groups and safe places for coffee and conversation. The corps are second homes to many, who spend hours there each day for the fellowship, care, activity and family atmosphere. “I love the energy here and people coming and going,” said one program participant. “In the women’s group we share our lives, our problems, our struggles, and the officers help support us too. And my teenage children practically live here. They are so involved in everything, and I am so happy for them.” The smile and relief on her tired face was heartwarming and palpable. “It’s very hard to run our children’s programs here, but we will not give up,” says a corps officer in a region of Eastern Ukraine that is subject to regular and devastating attacks. “Often we have no power, no light, no water, and days of shelling and drones. But we keep working.” Groups for men and women, and art therapy and Bible studies for different ages engage corps and community members alike. In this same city, a woman whose son was killed in the war decided to donate his clothes and other items to The Salvation Army’s secondhand clothing collection. She was familiar with the work of The Salvation Army in this region, and said it was fitting, and brought great comfort to know that her son’s belongings would be used to help others. “I have no time to be tired,” said another Salvation Army officer who serves at another corps from morning until night, often with little time off. “When I think I am weary, all I need to do is see the smiles of the children, their faces lighting up with joy at the activities we prepare for them, and I get the energy and motivation to continue.” This same officer is supporting a woman whose husband and son were both killed in the war. The officer made sure she changed some long-term plans so she could attend the funerals with the woman and support her. The woman was overwhelmed and thanked the officer for being someone she could really trust and rely on in life’s hardest moments. Reality of war The reality of war is present everywhere, even in the ‘safer’ cities – in people’s lives, city streets, village fields and the constant feeling of stress, tension and uncertainty. Some moments stand out. One morning early in our visit to Ukraine, we were walking along the street in a south-western city with some Salvation Army officers, when sirens and a public address system announced the approach of military vehicles bringing coffins of the fallen to a nearby church for funerals. Activity up and down the entire street just came to a standstill, including cars, buses and trams. Everyone was silent. Hundreds of people up and down the street got down on one knee at the convoy passed by. Many got out of their cars to go down on one knee. People on trams stood up. Hands were on hearts. Young people, children and the elderly all paused at once. And on loudspeakers, a message of thanks and respect was broadcast. This is done all over the country when farewelling the fallen. The convoy arrived at the church, where hundreds of Ukrainian flags and photos of young men and women were displayed as a tribute to those from the city killed in war. It was so moving, heartbreaking and tragic. Left: People stopped wherever they were to pay respect to the fallen. Right: Tributes to those who have died in one of the churches where government funerals take place. Lighter moments A women’s group gathered in a corps in Central Ukraine. The first activity was making Ukrainian borscht (beetroot soup) and little meat pies. The corps officer asked the women for their tips on how to improve the flavour and quality of the soup and the pies. As happens everywhere around the world, the women discussed the importance of certain ingredients and methods – not always agreeing with each other – but settling on an overall approach. Their main goal seemed to be educating me on the specifics of Ukrainian borscht, as opposed to recipes for the soup in other countries! Women in one of the central corps enjoy the universal joy of cooking and eating together. As we travelled with divisional leaders through central western Ukraine, we noticed a couple of huge nests in the trees alongside the highway. The leaders explained, with obvious pride and delight, that these were stork nests – belonging to the national bird of Ukraine. Over the past few years, these birds had not returned to Ukraine in spring, as was their usual custom. But this spring, they had returned to the northern region. To Ukrainians they represent hope, freedom and happy times, so seeing them coming back has brought moments of joy and hope for better times on the horizon. In some Ukrainian supermarkets, customers are required to weigh their fruit and vegetables and attach the price sticker that the scales print out. In other supermarkets, scales are in the fruit department without stickers – the stickers come out from the scales at the checkout. In one supermarket, I was confused as I tried to weigh some mandarins, but couldn’t see any price stickers. A young Ukrainian girl came up to me and held up her phone, showing me the screen of Google Translate. The message, in English, read, “It’s okay, just take your things to the checkout and they will help you. Have a lovely day in our country, it’s good to see you here.” She smiled and pointed the way to the checkouts before heading off with her friend. A simple gesture but it meant a lot. Even during times of war, someone could still notice someone needing assistance – no matter how small – and respond. Hope One elderly lady, who has suffered so much and is constantly waiting for news of loved ones in the temporarily occupied territories whom she can no longer contact, summed up the attitude of so many: “Hope dies last. We have to hold onto hope. We need to find hope every day, even in the smallest thing, like music, or spring flowers, or the laughter of children. This will get us through this evening, tomorrow, and beyond.” *All names have been changed and specific locations generalised.

The Salvation Army is working tirelessly to support community members facing extraordinary cost-of-living pressures. BY LAUREN MARTIN The Salvation Army has released the results of its annual survey of community members who seek support from its services, revealing that the need is higher than ever, and people are experiencing emergency levels of need as a result of the cost-of-living crisis. But this isn’t news to Salvation Army officers, workers and volunteers on the frontline, who are witnessing the impact. With nearly one in five people surveyed by The Salvation Army saying they had eaten from bins, and three in five saying they had eaten expired or spoiled food in the past 12 months, The Salvation Army is working across the nation to feed, walk alongside and provide wraparound care to those hit hardest. Every week across Australia, free and low-cost food is distributed from hundreds of Salvation Army corps-based social mission expressions. These food relief services are overseen by community workers and corps leaders, but the majority of the work is done by an army of big-hearted volunteers, many of whom have been on the receiving end of Salvation Army support. The newly-released report includes a comment from one community member who received support from The Salvation Army, saying: “We starve, it’s that simple. We drink water because it fills us up. We walk a bit to take our minds off this horrible life we are in, and we beg whoever we can for help.” Food donations reducing “There are lots of new faces and deep, heartbreaking stories,” says Captain Phil Sutcliffe from Northern Rivers Salvos in northern New South Wales, where food donations are declining as numbers of people in need are increasing. “We have certainly seen a shift in the food donations coming through.” At Sydney’s Shire Salvos Miranda, Lieutenant-Colonel David Godkin says food donations have been down all year, whilst the number of people coming for food assistance has sky-rocketed: “I think it’s because the cost-of-living crisis is affecting everybody, even businesses that donate to us.” At some points this year, he and his team have hit crisis point, where they have had conversations about whether or not they could keep operating their food cooperative, that supports other local charities and support services with donated fresh food and grocery items. Each time it’s reached that point, they have continued on in faith, and provision has arrived. But the up and down rollercoaster of an increase in demand and a decrease in supply takes its toll. As does the transferred stress of those who are presenting at the centre in desperate need. “The increase in stress levels in people is very significant and very noticeable,” he says. “It’s starting to have an effect on us too because we are having to deal with people [and listening to their stories] and that has a knock-on effect that really affects our staff and volunteers as well.” The terror of homelessness is palpable, says Major Gaye Day, Salvation Army officer in Arndale, South Australia. “More of our community members are expressing their fear of homelessness in the very near future, if not already, and many of these community members are now from the working class, often experiencing a lack of work shifts or hours.” Social isolation “dangerous” The levels of poverty being experienced that are outlined in The Salvation Army’s research released today are leading to high levels of social isolation. Captain Danielle Cook, from Caboolture, Queensland, says isolation can be dangerous for both mental and physical health, but at The Salvation Army, people are finding a place to belong. “We actually have more volunteers on team now than in previous years,” she says. “People who have come for support but ended up finding community and a sense of belonging. As people are facing deeper hardship with the increase in cost of living, isolation is becoming a bigger threat, so those searching for a community to belong to is also increasing which is becoming a beautiful thing to journey through with people.” At Shire Salvos Miranda, the threat of isolation has also been identified, and the team has increased the amount of social and community connection opportunities that people can engage with. “We have cooking classes, free Pilates, craft and dancing classes,” he says. “People are just craving community, and I think they find in community some sort of comfort because they are sitting around a table talking to people who are going through the same sort of financial hardship, and they realise ‘I’m not alone’. It also takes their mind off their stressors, even if it’s just for a short amount of time.” In Cairns, Far North Queensland, Corps Officer Captain Ben Johnson sums up the stoic nature of officers, staff and volunteers across the nation: “We are just meeting as much need as we can.”

National Reconciliation Week 2026 invites us to be 'All In' – to see reconciliation not as a destination, but as a shared responsibility lived out through truth, courage and action. This reflection reminds us that reconciliation begins by acknowledging what has been broken and choosing to rebuild together, side by side. It is strongest when we do this together in unity – not just in what we say, but in how we live, respond and walk together.

Each week through 2026, Salvationists around the world are uniting in prayer for the same territory or region of The Salvation Army. Prayer requests are shared by the territory/region to help us pray with precision and power for one another. This week (25-31 May) we pray for the USA Southern Territory. Commissioners Kelly and Donna Igleheart lead the territory. The Territory has 1406 officers (726 active, 680 retired); 30 cadets; 307 corps; 1 outpost; 27,050 senior soldiers; 1523 adherents; 4833 junior soldiers; 16,406 employees. The work of the region includes: Family services Rehabilitation services Disaster response Summer camps for young people Modern slavery and human trafficking response Praise points: An outpouring of the Holy Spirit during recent youth councils across our eight divisions with many decisions made for Christ. Soldiers of various ages and backgrounds saying yes to God’s calling upon their lives as local officers or officers. Our cadets’ recent spring mission trips which made a real impact both on them and on the communities where they served. Transformed lives through the ministry of our adult rehabilitation centres and social services programs. His overwhelming love which sustains us in the mission, and begs us to keep serving and keep loving. Prayer Requests: Revival as we embark on 365 days of 24/7 prayer across the territory, starting June 6, 2026. Boldness for the cadets of the Keepers of the Covenant session, who will be commissioned and sent out to their first appointments on June 7, 2026. Encouragement and renewed vision for our corps officers as they serve and lead like Jesus. Spiritual health of our soldiers, officers, and corps. Our upcoming commissioning weekend under the banner, ‘Loving Like Jesus.’ The hundreds of children, teenagers and young adults who will attend divisional summer camps and territorial youth and music institutes which will take place througout the summer. The 24 young adults who will serve on summer mission teams in Argentina, New Zealand and across the US and Canada (Team World Cup). Our August Bible Conference with teaching for all ages along this year’s theme, ‘Radical Faith’ (Zech 4:6; ‘So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit...’). Preparations for our 2027 Centennial Celebration, ‘ALL FOR JESUS,’ which will gather salvationists from every corner of our territory and beyond: To celebrate the faithfulness of God To call soldiers into deeper consecration A collective commitment to live set apart for God’s purposes The Centennial Celebration will have a strong evangelistic focus, so join us in prayer that all plans will be God-honouring and transformational. Pray for the General and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham who will be our special guests. Men, women, boys and girls to be loved into the Kingdom through saving faith in Jesus Christ. 50 cadets to go to training this year – we pray in faith, believing! To find out more about The Salvation Army’s prayer focus or to download the 2026 prayer schedule, click here.