Charitable work in photographs

This series of images from the 20th century document some of the important community work and support provided to the disadvantaged by religious organisations in New South Wales.

The Salvation Army began its work in Australia in September 1880. Founded by laymen Edward Saunders and John Gore, the first meeting was held on the back of a fruit cart in Adelaide. The organisation's ethos, from the beginning, was concerned with the physical as well as spiritual needs of the poor and homeless. During the Depression, mobile canteens were used to provide hot food and drink in the many outdoor relief programs operated by the organisation. Children living in the slums of Sydney were offered recreational activities and holidays on Sydney's northern beaches. Today, the Salvation Army feeds and clothes hundreds of thousands of Australians each year.

The Hammondville project was established in 1932 by Anglican Archdeacon Hammond in response to the hardships faced by many families during the Depression. Families with at least three children who were threatened with eviction could apply for a home through a rent-purchase program. By the end of 1939 the village of Hammondville, near Liverpool, had been established with an area around 80 hectares with 110 timber houses.

Other charitable organisations which continue to be active in the Sydney area include the Central Methodist Mission, the Sydney City Mission and the St Vincent de Paul Society.