Salvos extend reach of cyclone relief work

The Salvation Army is continuing its disaster relief work in the areas worst affected by Cyclone Marcia last month.

Teams in the Central Queensland coastal town of Yeppoon and in nearby Rockhampton, which bore the brunt of the cyclone, have been giving out Woolworths essential gift cards and food items as part of the “Fill a Fridge” campaign.

“As an organisation, our intention was also to touch the broader population beyond the major centres as well, so this week we’ve been doing that,” said Major Colin Maxwell, Capricorn Region Corps Officer.

A team has been active in Gracemere, a satellite town to the west of Rockhampton, again giving out thousands of dollars worth of essential gift cards to affected people. The team included a Moneycare counsellor and youth worker.

“A team has also been out further west to Mount Morgan, giving out gift vouchers to a local supermarket,” said Major Maxwell. “We are glad that the money can stay in the local community.

“As part of our mobile and targeted assistance, we have also been out to the tiny towns of Marmor and Bajool who have also been affected by the cyclone.”

The Salvation Army is grateful for the donations it has received from the Queensland State Government and BHP Billiton Sustainable Communities that is making this work possible.

“We have also been given a huge donation from the Rockhampton meatworks - Teys Brothers – of cooked meat in cyrovac packaging which is just wonderful,” said Major Maxwell. “We have been giving boxes of this fresh meat out to people coming through.”

For the past week, volunteers from Bundaberg have been working with the mobile assistance teams. Seventy members of The Salvation Army’s Capricorn Hub have played a major role in the disaster response since the cyclone struck.

“We are finishing our support of the SES (State Emergency Services) in Rockhampton this week and will only do breakfast and lunch in Yeppoon as of next week,” said Major Maxwell. “We have fed 4000 people in the last 10 days.”

If you need assistance, click here for a list of locations and times The Salvation Army will be distribuing gift cards.