Disaster Relief Australia welcomes Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants announcement

Disaster Relief Australia | February 2022

Disaster Relief Australia has welcomed an announcement they will receive $478,669 under the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants program. The funding will enable DRA to continue vital work supporting communities in the Bega Valley after the destruction of the 19/20 Black Summer Bushfires fires which burned 24 million hectares of land, destroyed 3000 homes and wiped out three billion animals.

Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants program recipients

The Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants Program is a government initiative that aims to assist medium and long-term recovery for communities. The Program was designed to assist those affected by the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires in the local government areas of Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria. The Australian Government contributed an additional $111 million towards the Program in order to ensure that all recommended projects might be funded. You can find out more about how these grants will support communities with their long-term recovery at recovery.gov.au/black-summer-bushfire-recovery-grants-program.

Disaster Relief Returns to Bega Valley

Disaster Relief Australia has been forced to cease operations in Bega Valley twice due to Covid-19 causing severe interruptions and reduced volunteer time, firstly in March 2020 and then again in June 2021. DRA is stoic in its resolve to provide long-overdue support to the Bega Valley communities and is grateful for the means to do so.

Working in conjunction with New South Wales University students

DRA will seek to strengthen partnerships with the Australian National University and the University of New South Wales to complement these recovery efforts.

Students will be afforded the opportunity to directly participate in practical assistance to bushfire-affected communities, and to apply their developing knowledge and skillsets in disaster recovery and resilience.

CEO Geoff Evans is resolute in his determination to bring much-needed bushfire recovery back to Bega. “Last year alone, Disaster Relief Australia contributed an estimated $1.4M in expert man-hours across 9 service projects and operations. We are looking forward to the opportunity to utilise again, the specific skill sets of our volunteers who have military and first-responder experience to assist.”