Northbridge Rotary wish to thank the local community for their tremendous support during our recent ‘Drought Appeal’ fund raising efforts. In total, Northbridge Rotary has raised $20,000 from our various BBQ’s, book stalls and bucket collections.
$10,000 of this has been directed via retail shopping vouchers to farmers in the North and West Regions of NSW. Working with the team from the Rural Financial Counselling Service in the Central Region, we have aimed to directly aid farmers most in need. The vouchers enable farmers to purchase groceries at their local supermarket and this helps to stimulate local retail trade and keep people employed in rural towns.
A further $9,000 has been distributed via our Rotary colleagues in Longreach, who are working closely with the Western District Drought Committee in Queensland. Again, 100% of all donated funds are directly redistributed via retail vouchers to drought impacted households.
Also, with the assistance of our local cafés in Northbridge, Cammeray, Neutral Bay and Willoughby, Northbridge Rotary have collected a further $1,000 for the Rural Aid ‘Buy-a-Bale’ appeal. We thank all those local participating businesses for their support and encourage everyone to patronise these cafes and donate loose change into the little green barrels on the counters. Every dollar donated helps.
Aside from our local commitment; our National campaign has also made a massive difference. Working in with the Channel 9 “Today Show”, Westpac and the National Farmers Federation, the Rotary Australia World Community Services team have raised more than $10 million in support of drought-stricken farmers since the Appeal launched in August. Please visit our web site https://www.northbridgerotary.org/ for a regular update on how funds are being allocated.
For many in our rural community, the recent rains have barely made an impact. With the seasonal change, and all things working in their favour, many of our broad acre farms are unlikely to see a crop until mid to late 2019. Psychologically and financially, when you virtually have to start over again each time, that’s tough going!
The Drought may be out of the Press, but the challenge continues. Please help our rural communities to get back in production and help keep our food prices down. Please visit our ‘Drought Appeal’ post on our website (www.northbridgerotary.org ) and please donate.
100% of funds donated to this Rotary appeal are allocated to helping our drought affected community.
Photo of Rotarian Peter McNair on his visit to to the Rotary Club of Longreach, QLD to present funds donated for distribution to drought impacted households