Media Centre

Responding to the bushfires

Publish Date: 20/02/2009
Author: Marketing & Communications Dept.

Following the horrific events of the past few weeks, the nation remains shocked and devastated. For most of those affected, the healing process is only just beginning.

At Baptcare, we are deeply concerned by these events, and have responded to the fires in a number of ways.

Supporting our clients, residents and staff

Our community aged care and residential aged care teams in Wallan, Chiltern, Morwell and Bendigo worked through the weekend following Black Saturday to ensure that our residents and clients were safe. Over 30 clients were evacuated in the Wallan region, and St Hilary’s Community in Morwell began providing emergency accommodation for people who lost their homes.

A staff support system was established to provide financial assistance and counselling to any Baptcare staff members who were affected by the fires. Additional pastoral care workers were dispatched to the fire affected regions to offer support, and counsellors were available on site where requested through Baptcare’s employee assistance program.

Baptcare’s Leading Chaplain, Rev Cheryl Williams, shares her experience.

“On the Monday after Black Saturday, I was asked to go to the Hume Community Aged Care office to offer support to clients and staff. What I discovered when I got to Wallan was that our care managers had spent the weekend calling clients and doing everything they could to make sure they were safe and to assist them to evacuate if needed. Many of these staff were directly affected by the fires themselves – I was moved by their incredible commitment to our clients. When I spoke with the clients, many of whom had lost friends and property, the first thing they were worried about was their neighbours. It was amazing to see such capacity for compassion in the face of such stress.”

Supporting the community

An emergency bushfire relief appeal was launched on February 9th in partnership with the Baptist Union of Victoria (BUV) to raise funds that would provide immediate assistance to the hardest hit areas.

The response to this appeal has been phenomenal. Thanks to the support of the community, over $400,000 was raised in the first 10 days, and donations are still flowing in.

We at Baptcare and the BUV would like to express our thanks to the community for their support of this appeal. We would also like to extend special thanks to the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust for their donation of $50,000, and also to Carey Baptist Grammar School for their donation of $75,000 thanks to the generosity of their school community.

The bushfire appeal funds are currently being distributed through Baptist churches to people in immediate need. Funds are being used to provide emergency accommodation, emergency aid including food and clothes, bereavement and counselling, transitional community services interrupted by the fires such as childcare and funds to meet immediate needs as identified by the Churches. Some examples of the ways the funds are being spent are below.

• A gas fridge has been purchased for a family who lost their home and are currently living in an old tour bus.
• One Church in rural Victoria has 36 funerals booked over the coming weeks. Funds were supplied to help cover the costs.
• A family with three young children who lost everything have been given funds for basic necessities. As the children are home schooled, funds were also provided for educational resources so the children’s education won’t be interrupted.
• A father and son who lost their home have been given funds for bond and rent to put a roof over their heads.
• A young couple with a very young baby were provided with emergency housing funds after losing their home.
• When the Wallan emergency centre ran out of underwear, funds were used to purchase new items for distribution to the local community.

There are many stories of desperation and devastation, yet through it all emerges hope. Hope from the community for the people affected, and hope from the survivors for a chance to heal and re-build.

Baptcare and the BUV will continue to distribute the funds raised to the local community until all funds have been expended. The appeal will close on March 15th.