Imagine losing everything. Your house, your car, your clothing and ALL of your possessions. Imagine having to start your life again.
As bystanders, we often feel helpless in a situation like this, without knowing how or the best ways to help those in need. With that in mind, we have compiled this post with the best places to donate your time, money and much-needed items.
If you do have the capacity to donate money, please do so. The overwhelming message from charities and relief funds is that money is the best way to help in a crisis like this. Mamamia reader, Becky, is a charity worker and volunteered during the Victorian bushfires, she writes:
After the first few days when you need essentials and don’t much care where they come from, there is the rebuilding phase. You need a whole new wardrobe of clothes and the wardrobe itself; toys for the kids; linen, crockery/cutlery; furniture etc etc etc. And like anyone, these people have particular likes & dislikes, preferred brands & styles – preferences that they’ve built up over a lifetime maybe without even noticing it. So just when you think you can’t take anymore stress, you pull on second-hand clothes, for which you are very grateful, but which don’t fit quite right and not a style you’d ever wear. It seems like a small thing, but truly, it makes a big difference when the immediate needs have been taken care of.
And from a charity perspective, which includes many staff affected by the floods themselves, financial donations are infinitely easier to manage at a time when resources are very stretched.
CASH DONATIONS
Donate online
Make a donation to the Premier’s Disaster relief appeal using a secure payment form.
A campaign has also been started to help connect Australians in need with those that can help- it’s called Flood Aid and you can find it here.
Donate by phone
06:00AM – 11:00PM 7 days on 1800 219 028
Donate by internet banking
The account details for donations are:
Account Name: Premiers Disaster Relief Appeal
BSB: 064 013
Account number: 1000 6800
International donations
The account details international for donations are:
Account Name: Premiers Disaster Relief Appeal
BSB: 064 013
Account number: 1000 6800
SWIFT code: CTBAAU2S
Donate by mail
You can post a cheque donation – please do not send cash.
Cheques should be made payable to:
The Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal
ABN: 69 689 161 916
and posted to :
Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal
C/O Department of the Premier and Cabinet
PO Box 15185
City East QLD 4002
Donate in person
Donations can be made at:
- Commonwealth Bank
- NAB
- Westpac
- ANZ
- BOQ
- Suncorp
- St.George Bank
- Bank SA (Bank of South Australia)
- Australian Central Credit Union
- Savings & Loans Credit Union
- Bank West
- Australian Central Credit Union
- Savings & Loans Credit Union
- Australia Post
- Coles supermarkets.
GOODS AND SERVICES DONATIONS
Foodbank Queensland is providing food and grocery supplies to charities in Brisbane for the evacuation centres set up to provide meals and shelter to flood victims. They need volunteers in states other than Queensland, you can find out how to do this on their website.
GIFT VOUCHERS
Give.com.au has the fantastic idea of donating any spare gift vouchers you may have lying around at home to flood victims so they can buy items of their choosing. Give suggest that you rally around your workplace, mothers group and social network to send as many as possible, more info here.
HELPING ANIMALS
Dr Katrina Warren has compiled this list of the best ways you can help animals affected by the floods, she also emphasizes the need for cash donations. She writes:
At the moment there are enough foster homes for pets. The response has been amazing and RSPCA has been blown away by the number of people offering homes. You can still register to foster or help at floods@rspcaqld.org.au and they will contact you if they need you.
RSPCA Queensland https://donate.rspcaqld.org.au/flood
Animal Welfare League http://www.awlnsw.com.au/
Equine Assistance Appeal http://questequinewelfare.org/equine-flood-assistance.htm
QLD based animal emergency calls: 1300 852 188 or 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625)
LOST AND FOUND ANIMALS
PETS If you have lost or found a pet, list them with RSPCA lost and found http://www.rspcaqld.org.au/ and http://qldfloodanimals.weebly.com/
Contact your local vet and notify them that your pet is lost.
HORSES
Queensland Horse Council will be handling lost and found register for horses. Please also notify of diseased horses. http://www.qldhorsecouncil.com/default.aspx Also list here http://qldfloodanimals.weebly.com/
WILDLIFE
We will not know the true impact on our wildlife for some time. It may take weeks for the floodwaters to recede in some areas. There is huge lost of habitat for many animals and dangerous conditions are currently hampering efforts to assess the worst affected regions. Wildlife will need medical care, food and shelter. The best way to help wildlife right now is to donate money that can be used for food drops or medical care as necessary.
If you find injured or displaced wildlife call your local vet and ask for the number of the local wildlife rescue group. Minimise handling of wildlife and place in a dark, quiet room if possible.
QLD Wildfife Rehabilitation Council APPEAL – http://www.qwrc.org.au/
Wildlife Protection Association APPEAL http://www.kangaroo-protection-coalition.com/floodwildlife.html
COUNSELLING
If you or someone you know needs emotional support you can call Lifeline 13 11 14. 24hour support, free of charge.
How are you going to help out?
Top Comments
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I am starting to hear stories where people had to leave their homes because of flooding, got back and their home was completely gutted - not a thing left. Volunteers came in and chucked everything! Question is, how do people get into these houses while people are away? Is the door rotted through so they can get in? Do they force their way in? Do they have a key? Doubt it. And does this come under the area of trespass? And how do we know people haven't taken stuff? They say they've thrown it out but who knows? and what about items above the waterline in cupboards? Why is that thrown out?
I know volunteers worked hard but what about the stuff that could have been washed like the glass bowls I saw people throwing out on tv? Think how it would feel to come back and find nothing in your house. Even the stuff that doesn't work necessarily - sentimental stuff - noone would know the sentimentality of it and would just chuck it. I find all this incredibly sad.
One couple this happened to that my sis knows, are angry but feel they can't show their anger because everyone is saying how amazing the helpers were, and what a great job they have done and they don't want to negate that, because they did do a fantastic job. Amazingly they were very gracious about it all.
I can completley understand what you are getting at. I lost everything I own in the Jan floods, my house was COMPLETLEY unindated and all you could see was the tip of my antanea on the roof. And if that isnt hard enough, when I was informed that the water had finally receided, I was there as soon as I possibly could get there. Imagine my utter shock when I drove around the corner of my street and saw my entire life (and my kids) scattered all over the footpath.
There were things SOMEWHERE in that pile that had such great sentimental value and it was just thrown out without a second glance, and they will NEVER be able to be replaced.
When I was finally able to compose myself, I went inside my house only to see that my home (and the only home my kids have EVER known) had been COMPLETELY guttered. it is now just a frame and a roof.
Imagine how I was feeling at that moment?????
There were dozens of people/volenteers in my house, wat was I suppossed to do?? not show any appreciation for all the help they had provided not only me but my entire st with?
Don't get me wrong, I will be forever grateful for all the work that the volenteers had put in over the few weeks but I am now left with nothing. There might of been sentimental things that I could have at least tried to save, but I didnt even get a chance....
Now I am just trying to forget about it all and rebuild my life, for the kids sake at least. I can only imagine what was going through their minds while all of it was happening...