Flood Report

OUR IMPACT FLOOD APPEAL REPORT November 2022

Thank you for helping us raise over $260,000 for vital flood relief Thank you for being one of the helpers. You witnessed the devastation of the floods in the Northern Rivers, and you actively contributed to creating hope. You helped raise over $260,000, and you trusted us to be your hands on the ground in the Northern Rivers.

vital support in our local communities. We're only able to do this because of you.

Your generous contribution has meant direct impact to the lives of our residents, clients, tenants, and staff.

Thank you!

In total there were 27 local Northern Rivers team members whose primary place of residence was severely affected by the floods that received a total of $5000 in cash grants and a further 8 staff who received the first grant of $1500 per individual to help them in their efforts to rebuild their lives.

Your gift initially supported our emergency response; delivering food, water, personal and essential items directly to where they have been needed, including by helicopter.

Because of you, we have surpassed our original goal of $100,000 with current and final funds raised for our NSW Flood Appeal totalling over As we all know, $260,000. the devastation was immense and our people continue to experience the repercussions of the adverse weather event in their work environments, home life and community every day.

We are currently finalising the distribution of funds as our Northern Rivers teams continue to deliver

The recovery and rebuild will be a long road, but we continue to hold all those still affected in our thoughts and prayers.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO It was inspiring to see our BaptistCare community come together with such generosity and strength after this unprecedented natural disaster.

Along with vital humanitarian aid in flood-affected communities, thanks to your support we have been able to extend this generosity to our hardworking and dedicated BaptistCare team members who experienced significant damage and loss in their own homes.

The response has been one of extreme gratitude. I pass on our deep appreciation for your support that has made all of this possible.

Charles Moore Chief Executive Officer

Our BaptistCare staff on the ground providing relief efforts.

Thanks for helping Teleasha buy vital essentials for winter to escape. “My partner woke As one of our Care Service me up. When I looked out my Employees, Teleasha spends her father’s window it was just this days supporting individuals to running river in place of our live independently at home. Your street. The generous water rose gift to our Your generous donation so fast, it was Flood Appeal played a significant part. rising stair meant by stair. In you could “When the cash grant support came through it was one of minutes it was upstairs her when the most amazing feelings. and it came she lost her It really has helped. Now I just above my childhood home in have more clothes, we had belly button.”

South warm blankets for winter, “My partner Lismore. had a friend

and all the little things you to live.”

Teleasha and need her partner were renting downstairs to stay close to her father since her mother died a couple of years ago.

Like many others, Teleasha had the traumatic experience of navigating flood waters

with a boat, and we were lucky enough to get on to him because the SES were taking so long. We weren’t allowed to take our two cats.

Leaving them was one of the most heartbreaking things in

my life. They survived, but one of them has since passed away with the trauma,” said Teleasha.

Teleasha, her partner and her dad stayed with friends and family until they could move back in. “At first, we were pretty much camping, living on blow-up mattress, with no electricity. Now, we’ve almost finished upstairs.”

“The house wasn’t insured. It’s very hard to get tradesmen.

Dad worked at Norco, and while the company may not recover, they’ve been sending out workers to help all of us after the flood.”

Teleasha and her partner have just purchased a house out of the flood zone which was their plan before the flood put everything on hold.

You saw a need and you responded swiftly with love and generosity. You gave hope in the following ways...

35 people whose primary place of residence was severely affected by the floods received a share of $147,000 in cash grants and a further $35,589 is being administered to people impacted by the floods through the Chaplaincy Welfare Fund $28,916 has gone towards the provision of counselling and trauma support services to more than 120 people from the Northern Rivers area $13,138 funded emergency food for community, including holding a community BBQ, restocking the foodbank at Lismore and Murwillumbah, and delivering supplies from Newcastle to flood-affected areas $35,947 went towards emergency transport and logistics Direct relief (gift cards and cash grants) Emergency transport & logistics Counselling & trauma support Emergency food for community

We were able to provide six return helicopter trips, which provided emergency support and supplies, including: 600 kilos of food

Thanks to you, we can provide hope to people living with disadvantage and distress. Please consider a regular gift to our ongoing work in vulnerable communities. @BaptistCareHopeStreet 02 9023 2500 fundraising@baptistcare.org.au baptistcare.org.au/hopestreet

2200 kilometres driven in four days Two generators, 30 fuel jerry cans, and 860 litres of fuel 11 volunteers

Through our fundraising efforts, we were able to provide 600kg of food.

Read about how you gave Glenda hope to rebuild her home When floodwaters destroyed Glenda’s family home of 38 years, they were not insured.

“We’ve never had flood in our house. Ever! The water came up over six foot into our second storey home and took everything. We’ve had to pay for it all, that is where the money is going.”

has a boat and was aware of the danger, when there was a tinge of light the rescue began.

Calling her husband, Wayne, at 5am, the flood water was already at their second step and rising fast. Within half an hour it was in the house.

To support Glenda and Wayne during this period, a unit at the BaptistCare Maranoa Village was made available. “The house here alone, I can’t explain how great that has been for us.”

When the water receded, they salvaged what they could, but most was lost.”

Your support has helped Glenda in the rebuild of her home.

“My son is a builder, that has helped us On the so much. night People have Thanks to the generous support of the been so of donors like you, Glenda and flood, generous Glenda Wayne are rebuilding their with their had home using personal means, time. They’ve taken flood relief payments and the just come their BaptistCare Flood Appeal grant. and cared for dog to everybody. her son I feel like Dean’s it’s getting closer to the end. place. “That way the car was We’ve got plasterers finishing out, the dog was out, we up, painters coming in. Soon, my wouldn’t have to worry,” said kitchen goes in,” said Glenda.

Glenda, but worry they did.

“Wayne was scared as not long after it was waist-high. We tried ringing the SES, we couldn’t get anybody to him. Our son, Dean,

Thank you for your contribution to rebuilding Glenda's family home.

Glenda has worked at BaptistCare Maranoa since it opened but has been part of the team much longer than that. “I first started at BaptistCare when my son was 18 months old. He has just turned 40.” said Glenda.