Across South East QLD and Northern NSW, communities are reeling from one of the worst flood disasters in Australian history.
As communities begin the epic task of rebuilding, we want to help in some small way.
The Northern Rivers region holds a special place in Koala’s heart. It is where our founders first met, where the idea of Koala was born, and is still home to a number of Koala employees.
Initially, our focus has been sourcing and donating a little over 500 mattresses to those who need them most.
On Friday 4 March, we put a call out to communities via social media, asking people to reach out if they needed help.
The response was immediate and incredible.
We have distributed half the mattresses via community partners in Lismore, Mullumbimby, Ocean Shores and the Northern Rivers Indigenous community.
The remainder have been allocated to those who have reached out to us directly. We are working on getting these to people in the coming weeks.
What happens next?
We know many more people are impacted. As affected communities rebuild we will continue to work to supply stock to our partners and develop a broader plan to help more people.
We will share updates on this blog as we move forward.
In the meantime, if you or someone you know needs help, please reach out to the Koala Flood Response team and we will connect you with our community partners.
How can you help those affected by floods?
You can find more information from our partners on how you can assist below:
GIVIT
In partnership with the Queensland Government, GIVIT is assisting impacted local government areas including; Brisbane, Fraser Coast, Gold Coast, Gympie, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley and many more. They are requesting donations for:
- Grocery vouchers
- Fuel vouchers
- Pet food
- Cleaning supplies
- Feminine hygiene products
- And more
Australian Red Cross
Donations to the QLD and NSW Floods Appeal will help the Australian Red Cross to provide vital humanitarian support to the people and communities affected by the floods. That support may include enabling volunteers and staff to help with evacuations, relief centres and outreach service, and supporting people and communities to recover and to build resilience to disasters.
NSW SES
The NSW State Emergency Service is the lead agency in the response to floods, storms and tsunamis in NSW. The NSW SES is a community-based, not-for-profit organisation and donations made directly to the NSW SES are for the benefit of volunteers.
Bangalow Koalas
Bangalow Koalas, Minyumai Rangers and East Coast Bush Regeneration are organising a Flood Relief Clean Up to support affected communities. Local land services have also set up a call centre to provide stock feed to flood affected properties. You can call 800 814 647 between 8am-8pm.
