our
MEDIA RELEASES
Funding secured for our continued growth
Disaster Relief Australia will launch flood recovery Operation Riordan on 13th August 2022 to help Northern Rivers residents recover from continual catastrophic flooding. The operation will focus on home and property repairs aiming to get the community safe, secure, and warm.
Flood Recovery Operation Riordan Launching 13th August
Disaster Relief Australia will launch flood recovery Operation Riordan on 13th August 2022 to help Northern Rivers residents recover from continual catastrophic flooding. The operation will focus on home and property repairs aiming to get the community safe, secure, and warm.
Mobilising veteran and Defence community to support major flood recovery efforts across Queensland and NSW
Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) is deploying a veteran-led volunteer workforce to Queensland and New South Wales in response to the recent major flood event. The announcement provides a timely...
Disaster Relief Australia welcomes Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants announcement
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...
Disaster Relief Teams put down chainsaws and pick up food boxes for ACT communities in lockdown
With ACT in lockdown until at least October 15th, the need to distribute food and hygiene boxes to ACT residents in isolation is critical. In response, an innovative solution has developed...
Melbourne Volunteers Out of Lockdown to Aid Devastated Dandenong
Following a wave of destruction left by a storm front across the state of Victoria, both regional and metropolitan areas have suffered extensive damage. The Dandenong Ranges have been the subject of...
Melbourne DRA Volunteers Band Together to Aid Horse Therapy Charity
Gippsland residents have been hit hard over recent years. Below average rainfalls, the Black Summer Bushfires of 2019-20 summer, the COVID-19 pandemic and most recently catastrophic flooding. The...
DRA returns to Bega Valley Shire for Critical Bushfire Recovery
Disaster Relief Australia deployed a six week bushfire recovery operation to the Bega Valley Shire on 29th May, 2021. The veteran led volunteer organisation will bring vital bushfire recovery to...
DRA Launches Vital Flood Recovery to Port Macquarie and Surrounds
Disaster Relief Australia has launched a flood recovery operation dubbed Operation ELLIOT to the Port Macquarie area. The operation will bring vital flood recovery to a community still recovering...
A Partnership Forged in Fire: Disaster Relief Australia and Minderoo Foundation Join Forces
Disaster Relief Australia, a veteran-led disaster relief organisation, is collaborating with Minderoo Foundation’s Fire and Flood Resilience initiative to increase the deployment of volunteers to...
Disaster Relief Australia Ramps up to Bring Urgent Recovery to Bushfire Survivors in Eurobodalla, Bega Valley and East Gippsland
Disaster Relief Australia, (DRA) is launching our first major operation for 2021, returning to bring urgent recovery to 2019/20 Black Summer bushfire survivors in Eurobodalla, Bega Valley and East Gippsland.
News
We are excited to announce that Disaster Relief Australia has been recognised for an Outstanding Achievement in The Australian Charity Awards 2022. This is the third consecutive year that DRA has received an award in this category which recognises charitable organisations that have achieved outstanding results through initiatives that have significantly benefited charitable causes. The 2022 Outstanding Achievement was awarded to DRA for our plans to build our veteran-led volunteer base to create a fit-for-purpose model of continued service to the nation, while at the same time, establishing veterans as a much-needed national asset in disaster resilience and recovery. Our plans to build our volunteer workforce over the next three years will address a whole-of-nation resilience-based approach to disaster management, which recognises that a national, coordinated, and cooperative effort is needed to enhance Australia’s capacity to withstand and recover from emergencies and disasters. In partnership with the Australian Government’s announced funding, we will be significantly building our organisation, infrastructure and capability to always provide optimal support and relief for vulnerable communities affected by natural and #humanitarian disasters. We will further develop systems to connect with other emergency response and relief agencies and increase interoperability as well as to recruit more volunteers into DRA. Volunteering with DRA is a great way for anyone wishing to expand their skills set and either deploy into communities impacted by disaster to aid in their recovery or other #opportunities volunteering behind the scenes to support our recovery operations and daily non-profit activities. To learn more about our award submission visit: Australian Charity Awards – 2022 Winners
With lessons learned from 2017, Debra thought the upstairs of her store was well protected against rising waters. She was wrong. The 2022 Northern Rivers flood hit hard. Her premises, stock and irreplaceable collectables were significantly damaged. Under pressure and devastated, Debra attempted to repair the damage, run her business and manage the loss of her home in South Lismore. With overwhelming tasks piled high, DRA stepped in. They relocated damp and mouldy records, cleaned stock and cleared areas for use again. Debra said of the team: “I just couldn’t stop saying oh my god, oh my god because it had such a huge impact. To really see the progress is psychologically uplifting and amazing. For example, there was a team member who fixed my roller door. It had been damaged after the flood and was covered in mud. Just to see the blue paint on the door rather than the mud was phenomenally uplifting. I don’t know why I keep using the word uplifting, but it was just amazing.”
