Donations aid Salvos' cyclone recovery effort

Capricorn Region Corps Officer Major Colin Maxwell said the ‘Fill a Fridge’ initiative will go a long way to helping people get back on their feet.

The Salvation Army in northern Queensland is continuing to assist those in need in the aftermath of Cyclone Marcia, with the help of the recently launched ‘Fill a Fridge’ initiative to provide essential food and household items.

During the first week after the cyclone struck, The Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) assisted 350 families and distributed 40,000 Woolworths essential gift cards. 

“We exhausted the local supply of these cards and more are now coming in from Sydney,” said Major Peter Sutcliffe, second in command of The Salvation Army’s Central and North Queensland Division. 

“There is also some food available outside the Army’s welfare office which we have made available for people to help themselves to,” he said. 

“This may not fill the whole fridge, but will certainly get people re-established.” 

Rockhampton and Yeppoon SAES crews are continuing to feed State Emergency Service (SES) workers and clean-up crews. SAES crews from Gladstone and Emerald will be returning to assist these ongoing efforts during the week. 

“Ergon Energy has said that by Tuesday, the majority of people in Rockhampton and Yeppoon will have some sort of power restored, whether electricity or generator,” said Major Sutcliffe. 

It is planned that welfare work will also take place this week in Rockhampton, with crews also spending a few days in Yeppoon and the surrounding areas of Gracemere, Mount Morgan, Allenstown and Byfield. 

The Salvation Army last week received a generous donation of funds from both the Queensland State Government and BHP Billiton Sustainable Communities (BSC) to assist its work. 

BSC donated $250,000 towards ‘Fill a Fridge’. “This will go a long way in helping those in need get back on their feet,” said Major Colin Maxwell, Capricorn Region Corps Officer. 

BHP Billiton President (Coal) Mike Henry commented: “BHP Billiton is committed to our Queensland communities and it’s important that we’re able to provide support to those members of our communities who have been impacted by events such as the recent cyclone.” 

Mr Henry said that, in addition to BSC’s $250,000 donation, BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA), which has coal operations in Central Queensland, also provided seven generators to help address ongoing power outages in the Yeppoon area. 

The Queensland State Government also donated $250,000.