The Greater Shepparton Community Flood Emergency Campaign aims to raise funds to support the needs of the residents of Greater Shepparton - DONATE HERE
We have heard this term used countless times in the past week as we speak with philanthropic organisations, funding partners, and even a Councillor from a flood affected region in NSW.
But to our community, it is a sprint. A sprint to pump water out of water-logged homes so people can safely return. A sprint to ensure the hungry have food. A sprint to deliver medicine, dump destroyed household items, strip back plaster. A sprint against mould. A sprint against more rain.
And in this balance between ‘marathon’ and ‘sprint’ we have community, stepping up in every way to support. We saw it with the Mooroopna Football Netball Club rallying 150 volunteers to clean up the town. We saw it with GV Cares and Shepparton Foodshare volunteers packing up to 700 boxes of food a day for those relying on these essential services. It is something we, as a community, are very good at. We pull together to support those in desperate need and in times of crisis.
Giz A Break is one of many organisations that have ‘stepped up’ during the sprint. Armed with 4WD’s capable of safely navigating potholes and water on roads, the team of volunteers and supporting organisations travelled 2,000km to deliver food relief and shuttle families and pets from their homes to relief centres.
In any normal day Giz A Break would be hosting off road adventures that build resilience, enhance quality of life, and improve health for young people. Being able to support those organisations who have directed their focus on flood response is an important way Greater Shepparton Foundation can channel donations towards the flood efforts of our community.
There is a lot of work still to be done. Greater Shepparton Foundation has established the Greater Shepparton Community Flood Emergency campaign to raise funds to support community driven recovery and response efforts now, and into the future.
Our learnings from discussions with other flood impacted communities, is that we need a lot of funding and coordination between the relevant agencies to get the best long-term outcomes. That is what Greater Shepparton Foundation is working towards, collaborating with our partners to achieve the best long-term outcomes for the community. We will continue to identify strategies and projects each step along the way with the ability to jump in and help where we can make the greatest impact.
If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to the Greater Shepparton Community Flood Emergency campaign, we wholeheartedly welcome your support. Donations can be made via Paypal on our website or for larger donations that require invoice or those wishing to fundraise for the cause, please contact amanda@greatershepparton.foundation
If you can contribute in any way to the campaign, PLEASE MAKE A DONATION HERE.
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