Orange Salvation Army celebrates return of Red Shield Appeal on May 30

It was the first time the fundraising drive could be held with actual collectors since 2019 after the pandemic forced last year's Red Shield Appeal to be conducted online.

Orange and Bathurst Salvation Army officer major Colin Young said volunteers had raised $8,400 in just the one day.

"We usually would expect that to be more but we had a very good launch [and] a very good number of donations online, that we know of," he said.

"We've had a very good Red Shield... All up, we've [raised] $140,000 and there's still donations to come in."

All of that will stay in Orange to set up services and support existing ones, major Young added.

These will include assisting those in the community who are sleeping rough, as well as a music program for disadvantaged students and a homework club.

"The more money we can raise here, the more we can do in Orange," he said.

"It stays here. It doesn't go to some big bucket in Sydney or Melbourne or somewhere like that."

Donations can still be made to the Red Shield Appeal through the Salvation Army's website.

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