EIGHT months on from January’s Longwood-Berrys Lane Bushfires, the Strathbogie Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) has now surpassed the $1M mark in donations.
Serving as a practical support provider for affected communities, SDRF has been supported by businesses and individuals around the country, and this latest fundraising milestone enables SDRF to launch a series of targeted funding rounds to help those rebuilding.
The first of these, the ‘Housing Rebuild Permit Program’, is now open to fire-affected residents across Strathbogie and Mitchell Shires. As part of the program, eligible applicants can claim a rebate of up to $500 on planning permit applications for the replacement of fire-damaged residence, and up to $300 for permits related to septic tanks.
“The permit application process is understood to be an essential element of the rebuilding journey,” said SDRF community advisory committee member, Don Cook. “Subsidising these fees for people simply wanting to reinstate what’s been lost is a small measure with a big impact.”
The Housing Rebuild Permit Program is the first of several support programs the SDRF plans to introduce in coming weeks, including funding for local volunteer CFA brigades, working with local schools on initiatives that will ease financial pressure on impacted families, and consulting with the Community Recovery Committees established in Mitchell and Strathbogie Shires to identify priority needs.
Cook said the $1M milestone builds on the fund’s earlier work distributing $250,000 to 170+ individuals and households through its Rapid Response Grants, which put money in the hands of affected households to cover immediate expenses within two months of the fires.
“What we know from the Community Recovery Committees, and the conversations they’re having with their residents, is that grant and funding support is still vital in enabling them to practically move forward,” Cook said. “The SDRF hears that loud and clear and is endeavouring to address these needs in tangible ways – albeit marginally in the scheme of the rebuild still to come.”
While reaching a million dollars is no small achievement, the Fund is urging further contributions ahead of the coming fire season to help sustain the rebuild and support the many across the region still doing it tough.
For more information on the Strathbogie Disaster Relief Fund and to apply for the Housing Rebuild Permit Program, visit: www.strathbogiedisasterrelief.com
