News Corp Australia announces $1m bushfire recovery fund
News Corp Australia had launched a $1m fund to support the bushfire recovery effort.
The announcement:
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA’S $1 MILLION BUSHFIRE RECOVERY FUND
News Corp Australia has today announced a dedicated, $1 million fund to aid the recovery from summer’s devastating bushfires and a second round of donations to support people and communities.
The News Corp Bushfire Fund, set up in partnership with the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, is armed with a $1 million budget to address a range of needs including community infrastructure, emergency support, mental health and wellbeing and rebuilding communities.
The funds will provide grants of up to $25,000 in three rounds for immediate, medium and long-term recovery.
The chief executive officer of the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal, Natalie Egleton said she feared the COVID-19 crisis would push bushfire-affected communities off the radar.
“The reality is that those communities affected by the fires need help now, more than ever,” Ms Egleton said.
“The News Corp Bushfire Fund grants will be a big boost to those communities and their economies, allowing them to identify what they need to get their community back on the road to recovery.”
Penny Fowler, News Corp Australia’s Community Ambassador, said: “In this time of national crisis we have to remember there are so many people whose lives were devastated by the bushfires.
“We made a commitment and promised that News Corp would be there now and for the long haul.
“We will continue to do all we can to make a positive contribution to bushfire affected communities.”
In addition to the fund News Corp Australia will also donate $100,000 each to Rural Aid and The Salvation Army.
Rural Aid will direct funds to supply fodder drops in rural and regional areas affected by bushfires and drought and The Salvation Army Emergency Service teams will allocate funds to on-the-ground recovery efforts.
News Corp Australasia’s executive chairman, Michael Miller said: “These are extremely stressful times for everyone but these are the moments when we’ve got to stand shoulder-to-shoulder. News Corp will be there through the tough times as well as the good. That was our pledge back in January and we stick to our promises.”
Metro mastheads The Daily Telegraph and The Advertiser will also make donations to locally affected regions. Local grants in New South Wales will go to Cobargo, Batemans Bay and Broulee. In South Australia, the Country Fire Service Foundation will receive donations through The Advertiser Foundation.
Bushfire donations from News Corp Australia total $1.9 million.
Source: News Corp Australia media release
