Australian bush fires: 16 Ways to Donate and Help
Interactive Map of the fires is available here, via The Guardian.
Live updates available here, via The Guardian.
Photo: Stephen Henderson/CFA via Getty Images
The Australian bush fires have devastated peoples homes, lives and Australian wildlife. With heavy hearts we are trying our best to do what we can to help those in need. If you’re looking to help out, the best way to help is with donations.
There’s a bunch of ways to donate directly and there’s a number of online stores who are helping out by donating their profits too. There’s lists below of both. I hope they’re helpful and please comment below if I need to add anything to the lists!
At 6am, there are 136 fires which continue to burn across NSW, 69 uncontained. All fires remain at Advice. Today crews will focus on containment of these large fires, working with heavy plant and aviation assets. #nswrfs #nswfires
1. Australian Red Cross Disaster Recovery and Relief
The Red Cross supports a variety of efforts such as supporting people at evacuation centres and providing emergency assistance like cash grants to people who have lost their homes
2. Salvation Army Disaster Appeal
Salvation Army team members are providing meals to first-line responders and evacuees, as well as any other support needed, Major Topher Holland, the organisation’s General Manager of Strategic Emergency and Disaster Management, said in a statement.
3. St Vincent de Paul Society Bushfire Appeal (NSW)
Vinnies’ bushfire appeal helps provide food, clothing and money that bushfire victims may need to pay their bills.
4. NSW Rural Fire Service
You can either donate straight to the NSW RFS or to your local Rural Fire Brigade to support volunteer firefighters.
5. Country Fire Authority (CFA), Victoria
Like the NSW RFS, you can donate either to a specific brigade or provide a general donation.
6. The Victorian Bushfire Appeal
The Victorian Government teamed up with The Salvation Army and Bendigo Bank for the appeal, with all funds going to communities in need.
7. The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital
The organisation has a GoFundMe page that seeks funding for Koalas affected by the bushfires.
8. WIRES
NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) rescues and cares for animals and is seeking donations for volunteer carers and rescuers that are inundated with them amid the bushfires.
[Above info sourced from Business Insider]
9. Foundation For National Parks And Wildlife Emergency Appeal
This foundation relocate stressed and traumatised wildlife into volunteers homes, giving them quiet and comfortable space to rest and recover. Funds raised will be directed towards providing financial assistance to those groups most impacted by the fires through targeted funding for first aid and rescue equipment for injured animals, as well as providing support for wildlife carers through this difficult time.
10. RSPCA Bushfire Appeal
The RSPCA NSW Inspectorate, working alongside Local Land Services, Department of Primary Industries and district veterinarians, will begin the difficult job of entering affected areas and assessing any injured animals. Donate today to keep our inspectors on the road responding to emergencies and assisting animals in need.
11. Queensland Government GIVIT Bushfire Appeal
Current campaigns they are assisting with are available to view here. During times of disaster and emergency, GIVIT works with government agencies, local councils and not-for-profit organisations to identify the immediate and long-term needs of the affected community.
12. Koalas In Care
A non-profit organisation and a registered charity run by volunteers.
13. Bottles For The Bush
Donating some of your empty drink containers this summer at any TOMRA Recycling Location and raises 10c for theBottles for the Bush Appeal. All funds raised go to Rural Aid to support our farmers and rural communities in need.
14. Taronga's Emergency Koala Appeal
Taronga has received 12 koalas who have been rescued by Science for Wildlife. Help Taronga address the emerging crisis, care for the rescued koalas in the Taronga Wildlife Hospitals as well as Taronga’s long-term work as we strive to turn around the trajectory of koala populations.
15. Science For Wildlife Emergency Bushfire Appeal For Koalas
As they have just rescued 12 koalas ahead of bush fires in the Blue Mountains, they are now at Taronga. Read more here. They urgently need funds for their care, and then to release them to a safe place and monitor how they cope when they are back in the wild.
16. WWF Australia Bushfire And Koala Appeal
Help WWF Australia get emergency funds to care for injured wildlife, and when the fires clear, help restore the forest homes that the koalas and other animals have lost.
For more information from the RFS, check here.
[Above information via Urban List]
Created by @vivmakes
Not in the position to donate? No worries!
There are other ways to help out where you can.
Share the news and updates, share the websites to where people can direct their donations.
Send a letter to your MP. Follow this link to a letter drafted by @annarose_richards and send it to your local MP. https://www.dropbox.com/s/n83tlcdjtqpmtxr/MP%20Letter%20of%20Environmental%20Concern.docx?dl=0
Attend nation-wide protests.
Give blood at a Red Cross donation centre.
Sew blankets/items for the wildlife to use in shelters.
Volunteer
Pack emergency kits
Check how you can help your local Salvos, Vinnies, RSPCA or wildlife rescue centre.
Other ways to help
Obviously the best ways to help are by donating but if you’re shopping at this time of the year, it might be a good idea to look for the brands and stores that are donating profits to aid with the bush fire relief. It’s a great way for brands to get a large donation together without using the event as a marketing ploy.
Here are a few stores I’ve come across through socials and I’m hoping to add to this list as more pop up! If you know of a store donating profits, please comment below and I’ll add them to this post.
[In alphabetical order]
Alice McCall // Donating 100% of profits for this week’s sales online and in boutiques. Donating to NSW RFS, Red Cross, Wires and Givit Australia.
Bondi Boost // Holding a raffle to raise donations. Total of $30,000 raised so far for NSW RFS, Wires and Red Cross.
Ela and Jackson // Donating 100% of all sales until 13th of Jan to the Australian Bushfire Relief.
Ella Bache // Donating 100% of proceeds from online sales to NSW RFS for 48 hours. Started on Monday at 7 am.
By Lana Wilkinson // Donating 100% off profits from Sunday - Tuesday to support Red Cross and Country Fire Authority.
Grown Alchemist // Donating 100% of global sales of the Detox Hydra Mist to Red Cross.
House of Lita // Donating 100% of profits for 24 hours (Monday - Tuesday).
Jagger and Stone // Donating 50% of of online sales today.
Leelo Active // Donating 100% of profits until Friday 19th January
Nestlea and Porter // Along with 50 other amazing WA businesses have banded together for a raffle giveaway.
Sunday Supply Co. // Donating 100% of all sales Monday/Tuesday to NSW RFS and Red Cross.
Tony Bianco // Donating 100% of online and in-store profits on Saturday 11th Jan to Red Cross and Wires.
Viktoria and Woods // Will commit up to $20,000 through proceeds of sales to support devastated communities across Australia through Red Cross.
YCL Jewels // Donating 100% of profits online and in their Gold Coast Showroom. Donating to Red Cross and Wires (from Monday - Tuesday).
Other stores who donated over the weekend: Turquoise Lane, Tuchuzy Store, Ksubi, Korrflex, Dissh, Sabbiaco,
Other notable donations:
Arnhem Clothing // Donate $30,000 to Wires Wildlife Rescue Emergency Fund and $10,000 to Greenfleet, a not-for-profit organisation restoring Australia's forests to resist climate change.
The Body Shop // Donated $25,000 to Red Cross.
Decjuba // donating $500,000 to Bushfire Relief.
Glassons // The Glassons team has donated $60,000 to the Australian Red Cross to support the Disaster Relief and Recovery for those victims of the fires.
Sussan Group (Sports Girl, Sussan Fashion, Suzanne Grae) // Donating $100,000 to be shared equally between Salvation Amy Disaster Appeal. Will also match their staffs personal donations.
The Daily Edited // $202,000 raised and donated to NSW RFS, CFA and Salvos. They donated 100% of their sales to support bushfire relief on Saturday.
Support the Victims of the Bushfires
Spend With Them // An initiative by Turia Pitt and Grace McBride to help rebuild the towns and businesses affected by the Australian Bushfires. They’re sharing the businesses that you can support to help people get their lives back on track and their businesses going again.
We need to change.
Looking at the way we currently live, it’s unsustainable. We aren’t helping these conditions with our consumerism and bad habits.
We need to make 2020 the year that we make the effort to learn about our environment, the politics and the culture that surrounds it.
Learn about the science behind what protesters are shouting about. Listen to what scientists have to say. Think about what you can do to reduce your own waste? What can you do to ensure that you live the healthiest life to then in turn, impact those around you along with the animals and the environment you live in.
“We are destroying the natural world, and with us ourselves.” - Sir David Attenborough.