“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.”
– Anonymous
What is The Salvation Army?
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church.
Vision Statement
Wherever there is hardship or injustice, Salvos will live, love and fight alongside others to transform Australia one life at a time with the love of Jesus.
Mission Statement
The Salvation Army is a Christian movement dedicated to sharing the love of Jesus by:
• Caring for people
• Creating faith pathways
• Building healthy communities
• Working for justice
The Salvation Army Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet and work and pay our respect to Elders, past, present, and future. We value and include people of all cultures, languages, abilities, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, and intersex status. We are committed to providing programs that are fully inclusive. We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of people of all ages, particularly children.
Money talk
Many of us find it difficult to talk about our financial problems. It’s not an issue to go to a doctor if we’re unwell or see a dentist for a toothache, but if we’re struggling with our finances, we often try to manage the problems on our own.
In this edition of Salvos Magazine, Kristen Hartnett, National Salvation Army Moneycare Manager, speaks about their free financial counselling program, other Moneycare services and resources, and the importance of getting help to manage a range of difficulties early in the process.
As Kristen says, getting help for financial problems and having conversations around them are a normal part of life, and there is never any shame around seeking help.
Scan here to connect with The Salvation Army services
Scan here to subscribe to Salvos Magazine
Founders: William and Catherine Booth
Salvation Army World Leaders: General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn
Buckingham
Territorial Leader: Commissioner Miriam Gluyas
Secretary for Communications and Editor-In-Chief: Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Hateley
Printed and published for The Salvation Army by Commissioner Miriam Gluyas at Focus Print Group, Chester Hill, NSW, Darug Nation lands.
In My Story, Coral shares how she was struggling to manage her family finances after the death of her husband, but regularly seeing a Moneycare financial counsellor helped her find a new path forward and turn her life around.
It’s never too late to get help. Call 1800 722 363 to request a free and confidential appointment. Let’s get talking about money! Simone Worthing Editor
Small steps. Real change.
Building financial confidence together
by Kristen Hartnett
Financial problems can affect anyone, anywhere, at any time. Sometimes, life is tough and the unexpected and unplanned happens. Or we may make a financial decision and not know how to recover. We’ve all had financial regrets from time to time.
If debt is building up, if you’re having trouble paying your rent or buying food for your family, or simply feeling overwhelmed by your financial situation – help is available. The Salvation Army
Moneycare free financial counselling and support services are here to help you get back on track, no matter what financial situation you’re facing. We offer our services to anyone who wants them.
Moneycare financial counsellors understand that money troubles may make you feel lonely, embarrassed and isolated, but we can assure you that when you contact us for financial assistance, we will offer you compassionate, warm and friendly support. We believe in good for you and want to see you get back on your feet.
Sharing the load
We all have a financial load that we’re carrying. Sometimes it gets heavy and we need extra support. In those times, we can believe in good for other people when they’re struggling to believe in good for themselves.
It’s good to start a conversation with a friend, a colleague, or a family member about their finances and check in with how they’re going.
It’s good to be encouraging. Let’s help people to remember their true worth, what they’re good at, and to know that they’re not alone and that help is available.
And it’s good to share Moneycare’s resources with others. Financial resilience and confidence are real possibilities for all of us when we believe in good.
Where to start?
Are you tired of feeling out of control with your finances? Are you ready to feel financially well and resilient for the future?
Moneycare can partner with you, providing the resources, guidance and support we all need sometimes, to help you regain control of your finances and achieve financial wellness and resilience. We’ve got something for everyone, so I advise people to think about how they best learn and to explore our resources to see what works best for them.
Do you like online courses? Perhaps take a look at our free course, Be the Boss. It’s designed to go over three weeks. Each lesson has a short video and an action plan.
Maybe you’re more of a workbook learner and you’d like to look at our free e-book,
You’re the Boss, for some money mindset lessons and practical tips.
We also have a second free e-book, Planning for the Unplanned. This is essential reading for anyone who lives in a natural disaster zone.
And, of course, if you’d like to talk to someone over the phone or meet a financial counsellor face-to-face, give us a call or use our live chat to start a conversation – call 1800 722 363.
You are not alone. We are here for you, and together we can work out a plan
so that you feel less stressed and more confident. You have what it takes to feel financially confident, and we will be here for you every step of the way.
Kristen is the National Moneycare Manager for The Salvation Army
Scan here to access Moneycare and related links, services and information.
Moneycare: national, but local
As the cost of living rises, The Salvation Army’s free, independent and confidential financial counselling and capability service, Moneycare, is working to expand its programs and help meet the increasing need in communities where people are struggling with debt, the impact of a natural disaster or other financial crisis, budgeting or spiralling living costs.
“From what we’re seeing, the cost of housing, whether rent or a mortgage, is affecting people the most because it’s taking such a significant amount of the family budget,” said Kristen Hartnett, National Moneycare Manager. “The flow-on effect means people are unable to afford their other bills.
“Buy Now Pay Later debt has also now surpassed credit card debt for the first time as the most common form of debt. We see the harm this is causing. The Salvation Army advocated for legislative change in this area to provide a layer of protection for all Australians.
“The number one presenting issue is debt. There are many non-financial factors that affect people’s finances, including health, relationship breakdown and employment.”
Moneycare is currently present in just over 100 locations around the country, except Tasmania. “We are national, but local,” says Kristen. “We work in Salvation Army corps (churches) and centres alongside Doorways (emergency relief
and case management) and the No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS).”
Available services
Kristen says that “Financial counselling is the core work of Moneycare, both faceto-face and, increasingly, by phone and online. This gives us more reach.”
Alongside financial counselling, Moneycare also delivers financial capability services to help community members build resilience and reduce long-term financial stress.
The Salvation Army and Moneycare deliver the National Debt Helpline in South Australia and, throughout 2025, have been respectfully learning from local communities in Alice Springs and Darwin, to offer targeted support initiatives.
The Salvation Army Research and Insights team supports Moneycare through documenting outcomes that show significant improvements in the five domains measured - financial hardship, cost of living, food insecurity, health and wellbeing, and children and families.
Moneycare also offers a central intake line that anyone in Australia can call during business hours for timely assistance. Financial counselling and referrals are part of this process. An increasingly utilised live-chat option is now also available on the Moneycare website. Multiple channels are available for community members to connect with Moneycare, meeting diverse needs.
The long-standing You’re the Boss financial wellbeing program is being digitised to make it more accessible and user friendly.
The Salvation Army’s Financial Inclusion initiative is focused on mobilising around 1200 staff internally to assist with financial conversations and referrals, beyond financial experts. Financial inclusion is about more than money – it’s about building a neighbourly economy where no one is excluded from community, services or opportunity.
Regular newsletters, which include cost-of-living tips, are also sent to just under 35,000 people who’ve previously
connected with Moneycare or Doorways, or who’ve signed up through the website.
Through the secure Moneycare database and other resources, The Salvation Army can track cost-of-living trends, quickly analyse the impact they are having and share the information with relevant bodies.
“For our team, it’s heartwarming to hear from community members that they now have hope after receiving help from Moneycare,” says Kristen. “They see a bright future, can manage their finances and don’t feel judged or misunderstood.”
*See QR code on page 5 for Moneycare contact details.
Salvos respond to fires and floods
Salvation Army Emergency Service vehicles outside Taggerty Hall in Victoria on 9 January.
Some volunteers travelled straight from bushfire response into flood response centres.
At the height of the January bushfire disaster, The Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) were on the ground in 12 centres across impacted areas of Victoria.
At Yea, SAES teams served a cooked breakfast and coffee to 200 first responders and community members. Teams also supplied bedding for 200 evacuees at Wodonga, and for 50 residents in Whittlesea.
Seymour Salvos pastor, Captain Lauren Kirkham, said her team had assisted up to 100 people per day at the Seymour Sports and Aquatics Centre, where people sought food relief, bedding and power, and a supportive community in the face of great loss. The local KFC in Seymour also donated food for evacuees.
The Seymour team established a warehouse in collaboration with local youth organisation Gnarly Neighbours, and provided essentials such as shelf-stable snacks and electrolyte drinks, sunscreen, hand sanitiser and zip lock bags.
Greater Shepparton City Council kindly donated 22 pallets of food relief,
including pet food, collected through the generosity of Shepparton residents.
One community member at the Seymour relief centre said in a note left on a whiteboard that the help and caring on offer was “absolutely appreciated and beautiful”.
“Angels on earth,” they wrote.
From fires to floods
SAES volunteers also worked tirelessly for almost six weeks to assist those impacted by uncontrolled fires in Western Australia. At Tooperang, south of Adelaide, they provided dinner, then toasties and coffee throughout the night, followed by a full cooked breakfast. The team then delivered lunches direct to the fire crews, and prepared dinner.
When flash flooding submerged campsites on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, many of the SAES volunteers who had assisted at the fires rushed straight to the area to offer meals, snacks, drinks and bedding to those displaced by floods.
– Kirralee Nicolle
Nation pauses to remember Bondi
“As our nation pauses for this National Day of Mourning following the tragic events at Bondi, we remember the 15 innocent lives taken and the loved ones who now carry a deep and lasting ache,” said Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, leader of The Salvation Army Australia, on 22 January.
“We also honour the courage of first responders and community members who acted with selfless bravery. Let us pray for healing where trauma remains, comfort where grief overwhelms and peace where fear lingers.”
The Salvation Army joined communities around Australia to mark the Day of Mourning on 22 January with a reflective service at the Bondi Junction Salvos Store.
Major Carolyn Harmer, Salvos Stores Chaplain in Sydney East, led the service. “It was a privilege to be there, and to be part of the light in the darkness that the theme of the day focused on,” she said.
Major David Collinson, Executive Officer, Salvos Stores, estimated that around 20 customers were in the store during the 20-minute service. “Some listened as they shopped, some stopped and listened, and everyone was respectful,” he said.
“Four staff members also attended, including one who was present during the 14 December tragedy at Bondi, and has been personally impacted. It’s all very real for this community.”
During the reflection, Carolyn read out the names, ages and occupations of the 15 people who lost their lives. A minute of silence honoured the victims, followed
by a shorter period of silence for all those impacted in the community and beyond.
Carolyn spoke about the human, and the divine, response to tragedy, focusing on the love and care that Jesus always offers, and that hope and light always triumph over darkness.
For the full story go to salvosonline.org.au
Captain Winnie Illman, Salvos Stores Chaplain, volunteered in the Bondi Beach precinct for 10 days after the tragedy.
Captain Carolyn Harmer, Salvos Store Chaplain, led the reflection service on the Day of Mourning.
Off the shelf
A top-selling read!
by Fay Foster
While over two million books are published each year, only a small number have ever been read by millions.
According to alltopeverything.com, the 10 top-selling books of all time, with their approximate number sold, are as follows:
1. The Bible (5 billion)
2. Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung, by Mao Zedong (1.1 billion)
3. The Quran (800 million)
4. Xinhua Zidian (570 million)
5. A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens (210 million)
6. The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (200 million)
7. The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien (160 million)
8. The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho (150 million)
9. Bhagavad Gita (140 million)
10. Scouting for Boys, by Robert Baden Powell (130 million)
Where the author is not stated, it is believed that several people contributed to writing the book.
It’s interesting that this list includes three religious texts (1, 3 and 9), one political text (2), a Chinese language dictionary (4), three adult novels (5, 7 and 8), one children’s novel (6) and an instructional manual for the scouting movement (10).
Spiritual hunger
Why would three religious texts – from the Christian, Islam and Hindu traditions – be so popular with readers? It seems that there has been a hunger for the divine, and for understanding ways of approaching the divine.
The Bhagavad Gita is the oldest complete book on the list, published in the second century BC; the newest is The Alchemist, published in 1988.
The Bible is remarkable as the book written over the longest period, around 1500 years, by around 40 authors. The first full Bible authorised for public use was the Great Bible, published in 1538. Since then, there have been many versions and translations published to
make the Bible accessible to more and more readers.
Sales of the Bible have been, to date, nearly five times as many as the nextbiggest seller. Five billion is equivalent to five thousand million. The current population of Earth is around 8.4 billion – which might mean that more than four billion people alive today have not yet read the Bible! They are missing out on the most-bought, most-read and mostloved book in the world!
If you’re one of the people missing out, please grab a Bible soon (your library will have some) and start reading. Maybe start with the story of Jesus in Luke’s gospel –and see why so many people have found this book such a worthwhile read.
PHOTO BY ELIABE COSTA ON UNSPLASH
From Financial crisis to continued confidence
Coral finds a new path forward
by Naomi Singlehurst
When Coral’s husband, Lance, was diagnosed with a brain tumour, their daughter was just five days old. He became seriously ill and passed away, leaving Coral alone with their two young children.
A Defence Forces veteran who had previously served in the Royal Australian Air Force, Coral was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and struggled terribly. In addition to the enormous emotional toll, Coral faced managing her family’s finances –something Lance had always handled.
Despite holding well-paid jobs over the years, Coral’s childhood and family situation meant she had never learned how to manage money. Gambling was also part of life growing up. After losing her husband and then her mum, dad and brother, grief and loneliness took a heavy toll.
“I was really struggling,” she says. “When I had a life with Lance, I never went gambling because I was happy. It all changed when everything went bad. Loneliness, lack of connection and sadness feed addiction.”
Lonely battle
Before contacting The Salvation Army Moneycare service, Coral’s life reached a dangerous low.
Overwhelmed by debt, addiction and heartbreak, she booked herself into a rehabilitation clinic and began seeing a trauma psychologist and an addiction counsellor.
Coral says she owes her balanced financial life to The Salvation Army’s Moneycare service.
During this time, money dominated her thoughts. “I would spend every cent I had plus more,” she says.
Some days she skipped meals to pay bills. Other days, she sold things she needed
It feels so good when a bill comes out and I am still in the black.
just to get through the week. “Addiction means no connection,” she says. “You feel so alone.”
It was Coral’s counsellor who asked if she would like help with her finances, and referred her to Moneycare financial counsellor, Lucy.
Financial clarity
Lucy did not start with a money plan (budget). First, she encouraged Coral to track where her money was going.
At the time, Coral had two credit cards and other debts. Determined to change her situation, she reviewed all her bank statements and categorised every item of spending.
“That is when I realised how much I was gambling, and how much I spent on takeaways and bank fees,” she says.
Coral met with Lucy once a fortnight for several months and set herself small tasks. She paused takeaways, cut back spending and used two bank accounts so she could see what was happening. Once Coral understood where her money went, Lucy helped her build a simple money plan she could follow. They worked out weekly amounts for bills, food and everyday spending. “She wrote it all
down for me,” Coral says. “Having it in front of me made it real.”
Changing habits
Simply saving even $5 a week was now possible and became the beginning of a new savings habit. At first, Coral was challenged by the sight of money in her account. “I always felt like I had to spend anything I had,” she says. Lucy worked through that compulsion with her and Coral’s money habits began to change.
“Now, if there is money there, I do not have to touch it. It feels so good when a bill comes out, and I am still in the black,” she says.
Coral now has a spending plan, a bills account, real savings and confidence. She has paid for an overseas trip this year. “I am very happy in my life now,” she says. “My mindset has shifted.”
Coral was supported by Lucy for months. When Lucy felt she was ready, she said, “I think you are okay on your own now.”
Coral agrees.
“She spoke to me as a real person and never judged, even when I messed up a few times,” she says. “If I did not have Lucy, I really do not know where I would be now.”
Energy bars
Ingredients
¾ cup icing sugar; 1 cup powdered milk; 1 cup mixed fruit, chopped; 2 cups rice bubbles; 1 tsp vanilla essence; 125g copha; 2 tbsp coconut Method
In a large bowl, mix together icing sugar, powdered milk, mixed fruit, rice bubbles and vanilla essence.
In a small microwave bowl, melt the copha in the microwave for around 4 minutes. When it’s all melted, add to the dry ingredients and mix well.
Place the mixture into a greased baking tray/casserole dish and press in firmly Sprinkle with coconut.
Refrigerate until mixture is firm. Cut into bars.
☺ Believe in Good: Tips
“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.”
– Roy T Bennett
1. Rex, Lop and Dutch are popular breeds of which pet?
2. Which names made the top favourite pet name for both dogs and cats in 2025?
3. What are the most popular dog breeds in Australia?
4. What is the most popular pet to own?
5. Cocky Bennett is believed to be the oldest Australian pet cockatoo. How old was he when he died?
��Who am I?
Born 1948 in Cambridge UK, I moved to Melbourne at the age of five.
I am Australia’s highestselling female recording artist, with over 100 million records sold.
There is a Cancer and Wellness Centre named after me.
I was an activist for environmental and animal rights.
Have a laugh
How did the dog get from Adelaide to Alice Springs?
Why are dogs terrible dancers? What is the best way to stop your dog from barking in the front yard?
What did the Dalmatian say when he finished dinner?
Why did the dog do so well in school? He took a Greyhound. Because they have two left feet. Put him in the back yard. That hit the spot. He was the teacher’s pet.
Tum-Tum
On which page of this week’s Salvos Magazine is Tum-Tum hiding?
✏ Answers
I am: Olivia Newton-John Tum-Tum: is hiding behind the books on page 10.
old (1916)
Retriever 4. Dogs
�� Word search
Words are hidden vertically, horizontally, diagonally, forwards and backwards. Enjoy!
Aquatic
Baleen
Beaked
Blue
Bowhead
Curious
Dolphins
Feeders
Filter
Bible
Fin
Gray
Humpback
Marine
Minke
Narwhal
Northern Oceans Orca
byte
Pod
Porpoise
Seas
Singing
Social
Southern
Sperm
Unihemispheric
Whales
“Christ gives me the strength to face anything.” Philippians chapter 4, verse 13 Contemporary English Version
Quiz: 1. Rabbit 2. Luna, Leo, Teddy, Charlie 3. Cavoodle, French Bulldog, Golden
5. 120 years
taken care
Find out how you can start or continue your legacy of generosity. Contact The Salvation Army’s Wills and Bequests team and ask for a free Wills booklet. Together, we can give hope where it’s needed most long into the future.
