Dear Supporters, 

Your donation to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal has helped families to farewell loved ones with dignity and survivors to find temporary shelter, and is now helping them to rebuild their homes, communities and lives.

The extraordinary response truly demonstrated the power of humanity. Red Cross raised an unprecedented $378 million that was placed into a Trust Fund with an independent Advisory Panel established to determine its allocation. State and Federal Government donations, plus 100% of interest earned being returned to the fund, added a further $8 million, resulting in $386 million available for the people and communities affected. No deductions have been made for administration costs, including expenses associated with this email.

Our immediate response
Following the Victorian bushfires, over 1,000 Red Cross people worked in relief centres registering more than 22,000 people affected so that worried families and friends would know they were safe. Red Cross served 200,000 meals to evacuees and emergency services workers and provided over 5,000 first aid treatments. It was due to the support of our regular donors that Red Cross was able to quickly respond to this crisis.

Your ongoing support

To date the Appeal fund has made 18,234 payments to affected individuals which accounts for close to 75% of the total fund. All funds have been, and will continue to be, directed to the people and communities affected, with no deductions for administration costs. Grants worth approximately $321 million have now been made available.

Bushfire survivors on the road to recovery
The Advisory Panel has begun to see a shift in priority needs which means that larger community rebuilding projects can now begin. Covering every community affected by the bushfires, including those in Gippsland, your donation is helping to rebuild and re-establish towns and villages.

For further information please visit the Department of Human Services. I also encourage you to forward this email to any colleagues or friends who contributed to your fundraising donation.  Please click here to read the complete supporter update on our website.

On behalf of the people whose lives you are helping to rebuild, thank you again for your generous support.

Yours sincerely

Robert Tickner
CEO
Australian Red Cross