Grants awarded to 176 community groups for COVID recovery, climate-related impacts and Small & Vital projects

FRRR has awarded $2,309,331 in grants to 176 community projects across remote, rural and regional Australia as part of the Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program.

This is the largest SRC round on record in terms of both funding awarded and the number of projects being funded.

Collaboratively funded by a number of donors, this program gives small communities across rural Australia access to funds for a broad range of initiatives that directly and clearly benefit the local area and people. The program is split into three streams: Small & Vital (S&V), Prepare & Recover (P&R) and Rebuilding Regional Communities (RRC), which supports recovery from COVID-19.

Small & Vital stream

In total, $527,636 in grants have been awarded to 61 grassroots organisations and NFPs through the S&V stream. Grants of up to $10,000 will support initiatives that local leaders and community members feel are a priority when it comes to strengthening the community.

An example of an organisation being funded in this stream is the Cervantes Community Men’s Shed in WA. They will use their $10,000 grant to develop the group’s new shed site, which will support and service the community.

Prepare & Recover grants

The SRC program has long supported disaster recovery, most recently through the 2019/2020 Black Summer Bushfire Recovery stream. However, with disasters affecting more of the country, the program has been renamed the Prepare & Recover stream. It offers grants of up to $25,000 to support projects that prevent and prepare for future climate related impacts, or recover from existing disasters in the medium to long-term. In addition to ongoing recovery from Black Summer fires, this round supports recovery from flooding in 2021/22, as well as some other storms and flood events across the country.

A total of $883,940 will be shared among 62 initiatives through this stream. An example is the Victoria based Boort Resource & Information Centre’s initiative to support flood recovery and boost local connections by bringing the people together to share a free community meal.

Rebuilding Regional Communities – supporting COVID-19 recovery

Funded by the Australian Government, the RRC grants are divided into micro grants, which are up to $10,000 and larger grants, which are up to $50,000. In this round, 53 organisations have received $897,755 funding that will help remote, rural and regional communities recover from the impacts of the pandemic.

Among the recipients in this stream is the Regional Food Security Alliance, who will use a grant of $47,050 to develop resources that will support volunteer recruitment and retention at food relief agencies across regional Victoria, after demand for their services has been exacerbated by COVID-19.

Jill Karena, Place Portfolio Lead at FRRR, said that this record-breaking SRC round is a clear indication of the level of support that remote, rural and regional Australia needs.

“In the history of the SRC program and its predecessors dating back to 2000, we’ve never awarded this amount of money or this many small grants. That in itself speaks volumes about the need for resources and support in rural communities around the country.

“What we saw in the applications in this round, across each of the streams, was a strong emphasis on individual and community health and social wellbeing. This is a reflection of how the last few years have impacted remote, rural and regional areas. Back-to-back natural disasters, the pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis have left people with limited resources when it comes to prioritising their wellbeing.

“We also saw a high number of applications for creative and wellbeing activities, like festivals and community events. These initiatives are wonderful to see because not only are they helping to bring people together and giving them a creative outlet, but they also often provide a boost to the local economy.

“Similarly, we continue to see a demand for support in maintaining or upgrading community spaces, halls and hubs. This kind of infrastructure is so important when it comes to keeping small communities connected, particularly during the ongoing recovery and resilience-building process that rural Australia is currently facing,” Ms Karena said.

Some more of the 176 projects funded include:

• Gainmara Birrilee Preschool Association Inc – NSW – Enhance the COVID-19 recovery of 117 Brewarrina Aboriginal families by providing practical assistance, building social connections and cultural identity, wellness activities and a community garden. $46,092 (Rebuilding Regional Communities stream)
• MacDonnell Regional Council – NT – Prepare youth for leadership roles through the expansion of the council’s youth app to include governance and project management information and functions. $9,702 (Small & Vital stream)
• FNQ Aviation Museum Ltd – QLD – Build young people’s job readiness for careers in engineering industries by constructing a new hanger at the aeronautical museum to run a program with students restoring vintage airplanes. $10,000 (Small & Vital stream)
• Bridge to Nowhere Arts Association Incorporated – SA – Enhance the process of recovery from the pandemic and encourage greater participation of seniors in activities by providing a comfortable environment at a local community arts facility through heating and cooling upgrades. $7,405 (Rebuilding Regional Communities stream)
• Surf Life Saving Tasmania – Central Coast Marine Rescue – TAS – Enhance community safety and boost volunteer capacity through expansion of training and lifesaving equipment. $9,383 (Small & Vital stream)
• Upper Murray Performing Arts Inc – VIC – Encourage community connection and generate economic growth by delivering a creative dance festival that will increase tourism in a township recovering from bushfires. $10,000 (Prepare & Recover stream)
• Shire of Carnamah – WA – Improve the community’s resilience for future emergency responses during cyclones by upgrading the medical centre’s electrical switchboard, enabling connection to back up generators during power outages. $10,000 (Prepare & Recover stream)

The SRC program is collaboratively supported by many generous donors, who are acknowledged on the FRRR website under each of the SRC grant streams:

• Small & Vital donors
• Prepare & Recover donors
• Rebuilding Regional Communities is supported by the Australian Government

This program always accepts applications. Local NFPs and community groups are encouraged to review the program guidelines and apply. More information about the SRC program is available at www.frrr.org.au/src.

To support grants like this through FRRR, make a tax-deductible donation at frrr.org.au/giving/.

The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.

Earlier this year, one of FRRR’s long-term supporters, the Pratt Foundation, made a generous $250,000 donation to FRRR’s Flood Recovery Appeal to support Victorian areas affected by the flood.

Over the last two months, FRRR has leveraged its networks to make ‘quick response’ grants to 23 community groups and not-for-profit (NFP) organisations in flood-affected areas of Victoria. The grants are helping to meet short-term recovery needs and help communities as they begin to get up and running again following the flooding events of this past summer.

Anthony Pratt, Chairman of the Pratt Foundation, said the work of the flood-affected not-for-profit groups is admirable and critical to recovery.

“The organisations that have benefitted from these grants are key to the recovery of these communities following the floods. We are very happy to be able to assist their efforts to provide support to the most vulnerable in the community, by providing the resources they need to start building back,” Mr Pratt said.

Sarah Matthee, FRRR’s Acting CEO, said the projects receiving funding will be crucial to the recovery process in the coming months.

“The Pratt Foundation’s generous support has enabled FRRR to work closely with communities across flood-impacted areas of Victoria to identify organisations who are playing key roles in recovery, by responding to local priorities.

“These grants are supporting a range of projects, including many neighbourhood and community houses, who are acting as key hubs to support community members, particularly vulnerable people. The funding will also help communities to build capacity, through activities such as mental health first aid training, so that they are better able to navigate disaster response and recovery challenges that they are likely to face in the coming months. Other grants focus on the repair of critical infrastructure, such as local community radio facilities, and providing immediate aid, such as distributing insect repellent to reduce the risks of mosquito borne diseases.

“This funding will not only help to address short-term challenges these flood-impacted communities are facing, but will also contribute to the long-term social and economic recovery of these areas,” Ms Matthee said.

Three of the 23 projects funded are listed below:

• Rochester Community House Inc – Rochester, VIC – Rochester Community Flood Recovery – Boost ability of a community house to provide emergency assistance through additional staffing hours. $10,000.
• International Association for Psychiatric Nurses – Shepparton, VIC – Mental Health First Aid Training – Support community recovery from flood events with mental health first aid training to build awareness, healing and recovery skills. $10,000.
• Gnarly Neighbours – Seymour, VIC – Supporting Youth Programs – Boost organisational capacity and support young people impacted by flood events to access youth programs. $10,000.

The full list of projects funded can be accessed on the FRRR website.

The Prepare & Recover stream of the SRC program is accepting applications to support disaster-impacted communities. More information is available at https://frrr.org.au/src-prepare-recover/.

The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.

FRRR has announced the appointment of William Myer to its Board. William is the representative of the Sidney Myer Fund, one of the founding partners of FRRR, alongside the Australian Government.

Replacing Patrick Myer, William brings 10 years of experience in the financial services, family office and fintech industries. He is currently the Head of Analytics & Client Services for Australia and New Zealand with Bloomberg Australia.

FRRR Chairman, Tim Fairfax AC, said that the Myer family has played an important role in shaping the identity of FRRR as an organisation.

“The Sidney Myer Fund helped to establish FRRR and we continue to have a representative helping to guide our activities. William brings a valuable skillset to the board and his background in financial management and client services will help to ensure we continue to serve remote, rural and regional Australia in the most effective and practical ways possible.

“I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Patrick Myer, William’s predecessor, for his long service on the FRRR board and his commitment to enhancing the lives of those living outside urban areas. Paddy took a particular interest in programs supporting youth and I know that his legacy in that area will continue,” said Mr Fairfax AC.

On being appointed to the board, William said, “I have a deep respect for FRRR and the way they have been able to bring so many philanthropic and corporate partners together to support remote, rural and regional Australia. FRRR’s unique approach in supporting community-led conversations and processes genuinely help to build long-term viability and recovery from the ground up,” said Mr Myer.

In addition to Tim Fairfax AC and William Myer, the other members of FRRR’s board include:

• Anne Grindrod, Deputy Chair
• Georgie Somerset AM
• Annabel F. White
• Bruce Scott OAM
• Sue Middleton
• Andrew McKenzie JP
• Hon. Simon Crean
• Hon. John Sharp AM
• James Flintoft
• David Mackay (Australian Government representative)

FRRR is delighted to share that CEO Natalie Egleton has secured a place in the Social Impact Leadership Australia (SILA) program. As part of this program, Natalie will be taking a three-month sabbatical from 22 December 2022, returning 12 April 2023

Sarah Matthee has been appointed Acting CEO for this period.

In sharing news of her sabbatical, Natalie said she is grateful for the opportunity to participate in this leadership development program.

“This is a great time for me to take a break to recharge, reset and think big following eight years as CEO of FRRR, during which we have experienced significant growth and delivered much impact in remote, rural, and regional communities across Australia.

“I’m pleased to be able to leave FRRR in the very capable hands of Sarah, who has played a critical part in FRRR’s success in her five-years at FRRR. Sarah has previously filled in as Acting CEO and is well-known and highly regarded by our wonderful partners, staff, and Board. I’m sure you will join me in congratulating her and will enjoy working with her in her capacity as Acting CEO.”

Any inquiries can be directed to FRRR on 1800 170 020.

Final round of funding announced

Applications are now open for The Yulgilbar Foundation Fund grant program, which is run by the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR). Community groups and local not-for-profit organisations (NFPs) in and around Clarence Valley can apply for grants of up to $50,000 to fund projects that strengthen their capacity and resilience in response to the 2019/20 bushfires, flooding and continued challenges across the region.

This is the final round of funding from this program, offering $2 million across the region through a mix of multi-year and one-off grants depending on the needs of local groups.

The Fund focuses on supporting projects that leverage artistic endeavours, boost educational participation, support locally-led environmental sustainability initiatives or build capacity for communities to respond to bushfires, drought, floods or other events like COVID.

Natalie Egleton, FRRR’s CEO, said that The Yulgilbar Foundation shares FRRR’s passion for community-led recovery and resilience.

“The people in this region have dealt with a lot the last few years between drought, then the 2019-20 bushfires, COVID restrictions and most recently, flooding. At FRRR, we know that local organisations are led by community members who are best placed to know and really understand what the community needs to recover and also to thrive into the future.

“The Yulgilbar Foundation takes the same approach, which is why this grant program was created in the first place. We have a strong history of partnering and it’s been great to work alongside them on this program strengthening the communities of the Clarence Valley and surrounding regions,” said Ms Egleton.

Community groups and NFPs can apply for the grants before 5pm AEDT, 21 February 2023.

More details, including the program guidelines and EOI form, are available on FRRR’s website – https://frrr.org.au/funding/the-yulgilbar-foundation-fund/.

FRRR, a one-of-a-kind Australian charity, has granted a record amount of $19.8 million to remote, rural and regional Australia during a year when rural communities have dealt with the ongoing impacts of COVID, the legacy of bushfires and drought and some of the worst flood events on record.

Having operated for 22 years, FRRR is the only national foundation specifically focused on ensuring social and economic strength in rural Australia. Their aim is to ensure that community groups and local not-for-profit organisations in these areas have the resources and tools they need to create sustainable, vibrant remote, rural and regional communities.

As reported in their recently released 2021/22 annual review, last financial year, FRRR awarded 991 grants to projects in 526 unique locations across Australia. Of the total $19.8 million granted, more than $12.3 million went to communities that were either recovering from or preparing for natural disasters like flooding, cyclones, drought and bushfires.

Another notable statistic is that for every $1 donated by FRRR, an additional $1.54 was generated in-kind or in cash, meaning that the total value of projects supported was more than $50 million.

FRRR CEO Natalie Egleton said that it was inspiring to be able to support so many community groups serving their communities during such a tough year.

“The last financial year brought a lot of disruption and hardship for remote, rural and regional communities across the country. From pandemic restrictions and floods to cyclones and the devastating fallout from bushfires, each community grappled with its own unique set of challenges, yet we saw common themes in each and every community we worked alongside during the last year. Generosity, agility and strength.

“To see locals and community leaders rallying together and continually stepping up to the plate to serve their communities truly is inspiring – particularly after the last couple of years,” said Ms Egleton.

Ms Egleton also spoke about the generous support of FRRR’s donor partners and supporters who helped to make their work possible this year.

“At FRRR, we work with an incredible network of organisations and philanthropic leaders who share our vision for a more vibrant, resilient and revitalised remote, rural and regional Australia and we are honoured that these organisations and philanthropic leaders continue to put their trust in FRRR. The past 12 months have been difficult for businesses and organisations of all shapes and sizes, yet the way our corporate and philanthropic partners continue to show up and show their support for rural Australia speaks volumes about the spirit of generosity and charity that’s embedded in our culture.

“This year saw the introduction of some new partnerships as well as the renewal of some long-standing partnerships. In particular, this year marked the 20-year anniversary of our partnerships with ANZ and Gardiner Dairy Foundation, both of which were major milestones,” Ms Egleton concluded.

You will find FRRR’s FY2020/21 Annual Review at www.frrr.org.au/AR22

On Arrernte Country

You’ve heard of the connecting and positive power of dance, right? Well, GUTS Dance Central Australia knows all about it – and knows it works. They saw an opportunity to use dance as a way to celebrate local diverse cultures in Alice Springs and, as the only contemporary dance organisation within a 1,500 km radius, this was squarely in their domain!

‘Alice’ as it’s known colloquially, is home to 25,000 residents, however there are no other towns or cities closer than 400 km away. Social cohesion can be difficult here, with divisions in the community “primarily based on race and historical disadvantage fuelled by a lack of understanding and exchange”. GUTS believed that they could address this and break down negative misconceptions through better visibility of minority populations through the art of dance.

“We see dance as a universal language that crosses cultural boundaries. People who are part of these dance groups are often newly arrived to Australia and they find cultural connection within the dance groups, or are First Nations Australian’s on whose land we live, and whose culture needs to be seen, respected and learned about.”

For much of the year in Alice, it’s too hot to have outdoor activities during the day, and there was only one significant event – Harmony Day – that brought together cultures in Alice.

They thought it was about time for another offering and started planning. As part of SPRING.LOADED.DANCE, GUTS’ inaugural contemporary dance festival, they would deliver a Community Dance Day (CDD), during which social and cultural dance groups could showcase their dancing, and audiences could join in!

Using a $9,800 Strengthening Rural Communities grant funded by FRRR, the festival team identified local groups to be involved, liaised with participants, undertook the planning for setup and packdown of the site and marketed the event. The CDD event took place on the Council Chamber Lawns in the CBD of Mparntwe/Alice Springs. It included Tinkerbee Arrernte Dancers, who got to showcase their incredibly important dances and gain experience in performing for audiences. The GUTS 50+ dance group ‘Chance to Dance’ had their first public performance – ”a wonderful stepping stone for building their confidence to perhaps continue to work towards more small performances in the future.“ There were Balinese and Nepalese dancers, kids dance offerings, Afo Afro Dance Group and Alice Swing.

The GUTS Brave Bodies group also performed a short piece by emerging Arrernte / Yankunytjatjara dance maker Toni Lord, created out of her grandmother’s stories. Most of the young women in the group have First Nations heritage, however for many this was their first time performing a contemporary Aboriginal dance piece.

Each dance group was paid for their time, showing that the organisers truly understand the value of each distinct offering and practice.

With performances from 50 dancers, and attendance by 230 community members over 2.5 hours, GUTS is confident that a broad cross section of the community was able to watch and participate, and benefit from exposure to the wonderful world of cultural dance.

Co-artistic Director, Madeleine Krenek, said they will endeavour to run CDD every year, regardless of whether the SPRING.LOADED.DANCE event continues.

“While there were many different offerings throughout the broader festival, CDD was perhaps the most celebratory, inclusive and fun event we put together.

“There was a wonderful amount of participation from the audience and the general energy was proud and supportive.

“Through GUTS’ work with young people in the community, we know that when dance is employed as a vehicle for empowerment and engagement, it is celebrated by a diverse and numerous portion of our population.

“Often, we find that people have never been exposed to dance before and once they are, it speaks to them in a way they were unaware it could. It is a form that defies the conventions and barriers of language and speaks to our commonality as humans through the bodies each of us possess. In this way, it is a tool with which we can understand one another and build relationships across many boundaries.“

Madeleine Krenek, Co-Artistic Director

For more inspiring stories like this, head to our FY 2021/22 Annual Review.

Having worked at a community level for 5 years now, most recently as a Program Coordinator and Community Development Officer for Blackall Tambo Regional Council, Jaimee-Lee Prow has experienced first-hand the generosity and good intentions that relief agencies have when it comes to drought in remote, rural, and regional communities. However, these good intentions often don’t translate into practical and accessible support at a grassroots level. Here she shares her story.

To paint a picture of what I mean, I’ll explain a bit about what our experience has been with relief agencies within the central western Queensland drought space. Off the top of my head, I can name at least 20 organisations that offer much the same kind of assistance. This overlapping service provision is driving a state of competitiveness among these organisations and, from a community perspective, has led to a matrix of issues that prevent community groups from taking them up on their offers of assistance. This, on top of a disconnect at a community level, has meant that these relief organisations are actually hindering themselves from reaching the goals that they set out to achieve.

We rural people are a stoic breed. This over-supply of relief support has led to a lot of miscommunication, confusion, and apprehension, resulting in people abstaining from seeking assistance. Or else people become overwhelmingly confused about how to navigate the many systems with most deeming it as an added stress that they simply don’t need. Another familiar scenario is that of individuals, community groups and local-not-for-profits who don’t apply for assistance through one organisation because they’ve already applied for similar assistance through another organisation, and they fear that it will be seen as ‘double dipping’.

Beyond the confusion and burdensome processes, rural communities often feel that these relief agencies fail to properly consider the demographic that they’re dealing with. A large portion of our graziers, primary producers, small business owners and community members are over the age of 65 years with many of them either being extremely hesitant about social media or else completely oblivious to it. Yet, many of these relief organisations use social media as their main tool for promotion and one of their primary platforms for getting information out there. It’s also common that applications for grants will exist predominantly online and even requests for assistance are virtual. As a result, a large portion of our drought impacted population are missing out on the valuable financial assistance offered by the relief agencies. So, a word of advice – this generation still rely on good old-fashioned word of mouth, and mainly prefer to trust “the local bloke”.

Charities, not for profits and non-government organisations can take action to shift from their traditional roles as relief agencies and move towards becoming partners who walk in lockstep with resilient and prepared communities. These relief agencies are, of course, well-meaning but most, if not all of them, are based outside of our region. Some of them even have a strictly virtual presence. Which is why, despite the obvious devastation of drought that surrounds us, they often walk away scratching their heads at the low levels of relief uptake after briefly popping up in our communities. The lack of local coordination and sharing of information on the ground is, ultimately, failing our rural communities.

So, how do we fix the problem?

The solutions aren’t necessarily innovative or complex. In fact, they’re quite simple. Below is a list of steps that relief agencies can take to provide effective support to our drought effected communities:

Step one: listen to the locals

As mentioned in the Red Cross Drought Resilience discussion paper, projects and program delivery from organisations need to be locally focused to meet the needs of the region they are working with. When it comes to providing assistance for our communities, blanket approaches simply don’t work and a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution doesn’t exist.

Step two: we need more than just a plan for the future

We are really at a critical point within the community drought recovery process where we need to keep the momentum going and continue to create or maintain partnerships. Within my local community. I have recognised a shift away from the initial panic and knee jerk reactions to the disaster. Local individuals, groups, businesses, and farms are now ready to accept and explore actions they can take to prepare for future drought- something that wasn’t possible in the initial stages of drought response.

Our initial response was to flood funds upon our drought impacted communities. And this was evident in the amount of overlapping we saw in service provision from our relief agencies. Don’t get me wrong, to a degree we certainly needed it. But what we are starting to see or recognise now is that drought funding is starting to dry up, and services are beginning to wind back in our rural communities. This imbalance between community readiness and resources, and the funding now available is a major concern moving forward. In the disaster recovery and planning phase, we need the resources now more than ever to be ready for next time.

Step three: simple applications and greater flexibility

We need to ensure application processes are simplified and easy to access. This will benefit all sections of the community but is crucial if organisations want their programs to be accessible to applicants aged 65+. Secondly, because each region is different, the criteria grants need to be made more flexible so that projects can be locally defined by the communities themselves and can be used to support a cross section of activities such as infrastructure, events, training, capacity building and network development.

Step four: recognition of the role that local organisations play

Local organisations are the backbone of remote, rural, and regional communities. Therefore, programs need to be modelled around their goals and needs. In order for partnerships to be successful and meaningful to our communities, agencies must be personable within the community, and the program itself must be driven by the community that the agency is working with.

During my time working at Blackall Tambo Regional Council, I have worked closely with FRRR on a number of drought resilience initiatives. FRRR have championed solutions that have been led by our community and that are driven by the needs and abilities of those living in our region. I believe that this approach to disaster recovery is the way of the future.

Step five: events and projects should be led by trusted locals

This is the valuable way to connect, respond, recover and plan ahead. While some are of the belief that the community barbecue or the local arts and cultural workshop are a band-aid solution to relieving the impacts of drought, those from rural communities would actually beg to differ. We come from significantly isolated areas. These types of community events, particularly during drought, are a necessity for creating touchpoints, social check ins, networking opportunities, and they keep our communities connected.

Some of the most brilliant ideas for future proofing and planning are sprouted through general chitchat amongst like-minded people at these types of events. We are already seeing some relief organisations which have come into our region, begin to recognise these events and spaces as the perfect platform for informal networking and building a rapport with our community members. As a result, partnerships have become stronger, and we find that these organisations who take these extra steps have a better understanding of our community’s needs which results in a greater uptake of their services.

Step six: continued government and philanthropic support

As I’ve already mentioned, it’s crucial that relief agencies don’t simply pull the plug and let funding dry up. Our rural communities are now more than ready than ever to prepare and build resilient regions through planning and projects. We just need the continued commitment to fund and provide resources.

Step seven: build local champions

As an NFP, charity and non-government organisation you should be an active collaborator, but you should essentially be led by locals. Start building your local champions in the communities you were working with. They will be your best investment.

Finally, I’ll finish with something I heard once that I believe perfectly sums up the attitude we must approach the future with if we’re going to continue to build prepared and resilient communities: “You don’t need to be strong to survive a bad situation. You just need a plan.”

Ngangganawili Aboriginal Health Services (NAHS) is an Aboriginal community controlled organisation that plays an integral role in health service provision for the highly mobile population in the Central Desert Region. It delivers more than 10,000 episodes of health care per annum to up to 4,000 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal clients on Martu country in remote Western Australia. NAHS is a critical first point of contact between the community and the WA health care system, operating since 1993 over an area of some 184,000 square kilometres.

The Community Paramedics operate under a model unique to Western Australia: they not only provide traditional emergency ambulance care, but they provide in-home extended care services, so that patients are able to receive high quality health care in the home without needing to go to hospital. This also facilitates the ongoing review of patients’ conditions that would normally need to be managed in an in-patient setting or via multiple trips to a clinic.

Through the support of FRRR and its donor partner the Kapikarnpi Community Fund, NAHS was able to upgrade the response bags in both of the NAHS emergency ambulances. The bags in use were ageing and inconsistent with a mismatch of brands and styles, and they feared this could lead to confusion in an emergency when working in the different ambulances. They were also problematic to clean, cumbersome and not designed with ergonomics in mind, increasing the risk of injury to paramedics through manual handling incidents.

The $4,333 grant enabled the purchase of modern, fit for purpose ambulance kit bags. The new ergonomic bags have an internal layout which allows equipment to be laid out in a logical manner that protects the contents and allows easier access. Most importantly they are designed in accordance with AS4146-1994 Australian Standards for Laundry Practice, which allow for the cleaning of pathogens such as HIV, hepatitis and vegetative organisms. This new equipment assists in the provision of safer services for the community of Wiluna.

Community Paramedic Wade Bloffwitch said that, “Grants such as this are vital to the operation of community-controlled, not-for-profit health services across the country and NAHS thanks FRRR and its donors for their commitment to the community”.

Support needed now more than ever for communities hit by multiple disasters

Port Macquarie, on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, is just one of many towns reeling from the effects of cumulative disasters. In their case, it began in July 2019 with devastating bushfires that affected many communities across the region. The fires burned until January 2020. Homes, livelihoods and, sadly, lives were lost.

Then in March 2020, COVID-19 hit, decimating visitor numbers and the vital income they bring with them, and restrictions hampered bushfire recovery activities. These cumulative impacts meant many retailers, cafes, pubs, restaurants, tourism and accommodation providers were forced to let staff go or, for some, to close.

In March 2021 – with COVID-19 and bushfire recovery still ongoing – the region was inundated by a one in 100 year flood. Thousands of people were evacuated, and five months later, many have still not been able to return to their homes. Today, pockets of the community are still without electricity.

Fewer resources, but more to do

The struggle for small organisations trying to support their community is very real, even in normal times. So, when events like the bushfires, floods and COVID-19 place greater demands on their services, their capacity is challenged. But they fight on!

Make a Difference Port Macquarie (MAD PMQ) is a local support agency helping their community to respond to these events. Over the last year, they’ve had to work through how to do more, with fewer people. When COVID-19 hit, MAD lost their volunteer base almost overnight because most of their volunteers are elderly or retired and are very vulnerable. The pandemic also had a huge impact on the organisation’s fundraising. Like many small community organisations, MAD PMQ relies heavily on events to raise the funds required to deliver their services.

Volunteer Erin Denham said they generally run four or five fundraising events a year but were only able to run one in the last year, and that’s had a massive impact on revenue. MAD PMQ was supported by an FRRR grant that funded the stage for that event and the fit out of their mobile coffee van. 

“When we got the FRRR grant, it took so much pressure off us as a charity – we hadn’t been able to run a fundraising event in nine months, and we couldn’t see a way out of COVID-19. The grant allowed us to continue our plan for our projects and support our community.”

As successive disasters have hit the community, MAD PMQ has adapted and expanded its role.

“Our focus has shifted dramatically since our inception,” Erin said. “It was originally homelessness. Now we’ve moved to supporting a wider range of disadvantaged people, so our work shifts and adapts based on the needs of the community and what’s happening around us, like fires or floods. The homeless population is transient, but there are just as many people in the community who need our help that go beyond that demographic.”

When the floods hit in March, their greatest priority was helping to address the immediate needs of those affected by the floods, particularly getting people back in their own homes by supplying white goods such as fridges, washing machines and ovens.

“It’s been a massive effort,” Erin explained. “We’ve raised approximately $50,000 so far, which we’ve since redistributed in white goods and other requests. But it feels like the funding is starting to dry up, and the demand is greater now than it was immediately after the floods.”

Emerging impacts

In fact, demand for MAD’s services is the highest they’ve ever seen, and Erin says she thinks it will continue to increase as the full impact of the “triple-whammy” of disasters takes effect.

Erin said that while there was lots of help immediately following the fires and floods from external organisations and agencies, the responsibility is now falling on the small organisations within the community to pick up the load and continue to meet the ongoing needs of a community impacted by natural disasters.

“Most of the people provided with emergency accommodation until the end of June or early July are starting to have to move on, and demand for assistance to MAD PMQ is increasing.

“Everyone’s gone back to business as usual, you can’t tell by driving through town that anything happened,” Erin said.

“Just last week we came across a gentleman who is still living in his flood-affected caravan, with no power or running water. His caravan was written off, but he’s got nowhere else to go. We provided him with a generator, so he at least has some power.

“And I’m aware of a 65 year old man who was living in a tent in his back yard, while his wife was in emergency accommodation. They were separated for months after the floods happened. The housing crisis and gentrification are big problems, with people relocating from Sydney, and many people being pushed out of the rental market. And while they might be eligible for grants, often they can’t meet all of the requirements that’s needed and therefore they miss out on funding.”

Erin said that support through FRRR, such as the new Suncorp Rebuilding Futures program, allows community organisations to be responsive in the aftermath of the situation. By offering funding support for charities like MAD, the program will allow them to help residents get back into their homes faster.

Images: Alex McNaught