Australia Wildfires Relief Fund

Though it seems like a lifetime ago for so many of us, the devastation of the bushfires across Australia at the beginning of the year remains a sad reality for impacted communities and the natural environment. Many families and communities are still waiting for assistance. While the ongoing COVID-19 crisis is not only upending our own lives and the lives of our loved ones, it is also disproportionately hurting the most vulnerable among us and those already struggling to recover from previous disaster events, like the bushfires.

GlobalGiving is working around the clock during the COVID-19 crisis to best serve our nonprofit community that is spread across 170 countries. We have launched a Coronavirus Relief Fund, piloted a Hardship Microgrant Initiative, and doubled down on trusting our partners to know what is best for their communities during this emergency.

At the same time, GlobalGiving remains committed to serving our nonprofit partners on the front lines of continued bushfire recovery work in Australia. Within the last few months, we have made more grants from our Australia Wildfires Relief Fund to Australian organizations that are providing direct support to impacted communities. I want to share how five of our partners are doubling down on their critical work in the midst of the pandemic thanks to your donation.

• Australian Community Philanthropy (ACP) is the peak organization that serves the nearly 40 community foundations across Australia. These local community foundations are best placed to understand the key needs of bushfire-impacted communities, and many are actively on the frontlines of bushfire recovery. ACP is working closely with its members to provide resources, one-on-one support, and coordination to effectively drive a unified response in partnership with local communities.
• Community Foundation For Tumut Region has been serving local communities since 2004 and is now providing direct support to bushfire-impacted families through the provision of pre-paid gift cards from local businesses. In this way, the organization is seeking to not only give aid directly to families in need, but also to support the local business sector. 
• Alternative Technology Association (Renew) recognizes the global climate emergency that played a major role in the Australia bushfires crisis. The organization is working directly with homeowners and other community members to build back homes in a green and sustainable manner. Its current work is informed by its extensive experience serving fire-impacted communities after the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in the state of Victoria.
• Catholic Social Services Australia is responding across the nation in many of the communities that it has long served in its more than 40-year history. In partnership with impacted communities, the organization is deploying local Community Recovery Workers that are committed to long-term recovery through the provision of counseling, social asset mapping, coordination and referral services, and other community engagement projects.
• St. Vincent de Paul Society NSW is playing a major role in St. Vincent de Paul Society’s overarching national response to bushfire recovery in Australia. In NSW, one of the hardest-hit states, the organization is activating a holistic response that includes basic relief services (food, clothes, and temporary shelter), assistance with children (school fees and transportation), economic assistance, and psychosocial support.

As always, you can also check in on the progress of our other partners, especially those working on wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. In the months ahead, GlobalGiving will continue to support our Australian nonprofit partners and, at the same time, will be building new partnerships with grassroots organizations that are serving neglected needs across the country.

All of this vital work has been made possible by your donation. Thank you for your incredible generosity. Joining together with more than 23,000 other people, your choice to support community-led recovery efforts in Australia makes all the difference during this difficult time.

Stay safe and well.

With gratitude,

Chase + the GlobalGiving team