Newcastle’s Salvation Army team received a million‐dollar pat on the back yesterday from property developer Jeff McCloy.
Mr McCloy said he chose to make his million‐dollar gift to the Salvation Army because “they are doers”.
“They do things, they achieve things, they are constantly at the grass roots level,” Mr McCloy said at Newcastle Panthers. He and wife Tracey gave $1 million to Newcastle University last year.
“This year we thought: ‘The Salvation Army, there’s a fantastic organisation’,” Mr McCloy said. The developer stipulated that the money be spent locally. Salvation Army divisional commander Major Peter Laws said the money would go towards the purchase of new premises and supporting welfare and youth services.
There were also plans to develop a new program that would redirect food disposed of by large companies away from the rubbish bin and out to people in need.
This year’s Red Shield Appeal raised $64.6 million nationally, with the total raised by the Hunter/Central NSW division $2,083,984, a 37 percent increase on 2005.
Source: Newcastle Herald, 2 August 2006