Call for Tasmanians to donate to the national Vinnies Bushfire Appeal

The St. Vincent de Paul Society is mobilising all of its resources across Tasmania to raise urgently needed funds through the national Vinnies Bushfire Appeal. Every dollar raised by the appeal will assist fellow Australians across the country affected by the most devastating bushfires in a decade.

The current bushfire maelstrom, which will be remembered along with the 1983 Ash Wednesday event that saw 180 fires devastate South Australia and Victoria, and Black Saturday, that burnt across Victoria in 2009. The latter resulting in Australia’s highest ever loss of human life from a bushfire, costing 173 lives. As many as 400 individual fires were recorded at the height of the bushfires in February 2009, with hundreds of people left homeless. The St. Vincent de Paul Society was on hand on both occasions to help those in need, and the Society is once again working around the clock to assist families in need during the current national bushfire disaster.

Speaking about the emergency national fund-raising effort, St. Vincent de Paul Society’s CEO, Mrs Lara Alexander, said that the St. Vincent de Paul Society Bushfire Appeal, in partnership with Channel Nine, has raised well over $5 million, but much more is needed. Mrs Alexander added that it will cost billions of dollars over many years to rebuild the lives and communities affected by the bushfires in New South Wales, Queensland, the ACT, South Australia, and Victoria.

“While we are extremely grateful for the generosity shown by the Tasmanian community to the national Vinnies Bushfire Appeal, which enables the Society to provide emergency food, clothing, financial assistance and other essentials for people who have been impacted by the devastating bushfires, there is still so much more that needs to be done,” Mrs Alexander said.

“The statistics are staggering; and Australia still has the worst of the bushfire season ahead of it. An area of over 10m hectares, which larger than the whole of Ireland or Scotland, has been burnt or is still burning. Twenty-eight people have lost their lives in the bushfires – and more are still missing – leaving devastated and traumatised families to pick up the piece of their lives. This is, of course, additionally difficult because some of these families will be amongst the approximately 2,000  people whose homes have been destroyed or damaged in the blazes,” Mrs Alexander added.

“During this national natural disaster, Vinnies will be working tirelessly with other charities and the Australian and state governments to support people during the long recovery period ahead. Vinnies has an unrivalled national distribution network, which we have activated to assist people in the weeks, months, and years ahead. Trained Vinnies counsellors will be listening to the needs of those affected, and providing them with the most appropriate financial and emotional support to assist them to rebuild their lives.

“We urgently need cash donations to the national Vinnies Bushfire Appeal. While we appreciate donations of clothing and goods at other times, we have cannot transport these items to where they are most needed. Cash donations help victims to re-establish their lives far more quickly. Vinnies guarantee that every dollar raised through the Vinnies Bushfire Appeal will be used to support those who have been affected by the 2019-2020 bushfires. We need every dollar we can raise now while the bushfires are fresh in everyone’s minds. Sadly, the aftermath of the bushfires is when Vinnie’s work really begins. When people realise how the bushfires have affected them, Vinnies will be there to assist them pick up their lives and rebuild their communities,” Mrs Alexander said.

Donations to the national Vinnies Bushfire Appeal can be made at www.bushfireappeal.com.au or by calling 13 18 12. Monetary donation to the Vinnies Bushfire Appeal can also be made over-the-counter at any of the 34 Vinnies Stores across the state.