Trying times

As if the pandemic trials of the last two years hadn’t tested Australian communities enough, the start of 2022 has seen another incidence of the country’s unpredictable nature wreak havoc along the country’s east coast. Devastating floods have seen whole communities in northern New South Wales and South Eastern Queensland facing a mammoth rebuilding task that includes whole lives as well as bricks and mortar reconstruction.

Celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2022, the Audi Foundation has thrown its support behind the rebuilding process, committing an additional $100,000 of support on top of its existing programs in the affected areas.

The special $100,000 Audi Foundation Flood Relief Appeal donation will be split between The Smith Family, a long-time partner of the Audi Foundation and BizRebuild, a business-led initiative which was developed by the Business Council of Australia specifically to help businesses in disaster-affected areas.

The amount of $50,000 going to The Smith Family is in addition to the ongoing support of The Smith Family’s Learning for Life program which Audi Foundation has supported for many years. This additional injection of funds will enable 100 families to replace school equipment, including books and uniforms, that was lost or destroyed in the floods, and allow students to get back to the all-important business of education even during these trying times.

An independent trust established by the Business Council of Australia, BizRebuild is the only organisation of its type distributing funds from business to help businesses in areas declared natural disasters. 

“Businesses are the glue that keep people in a community. We cannot stand by and allow small and local businesses affected by the devastating floods to fail and communities to fade away,” says Jennifer Westacott, Business Council of Australia Chief Executive.

“Giving businesses the chance to re-tool and re-equip themselves quickly means they can get back to work quickly, keep workers in jobs and communities together.” 

The $50,000 donation to BizRebuild, is being distributed to business owners from Gympie to The Shoalhaven in the form of $2000 vouchers to help replace essential tools and equipment that was lost to the floods. By helping local businesses to re-tool and get back to work, this proven initiative literally allows communities to start rebuilding from within.

“By helping small businesses recover, Audi is keeping communities strong.I am extremely proud of the overwhelming response from the business community, lending a hand during this time of need,” says Westacott.

“Audi’s generous support will give a helping hand to communities across the country that have been devastated by national disasters, meaning they can thrive and survive into the future.

While the Audi Foundation operates mainly by supporting charity partners by funding long-term projects, the injection of funds for the flood-affected areas falls under the Foundation’s ‘Supporting Sustainable Communities’ pillar. This was specifically designed to provide additional support to communities in times of crisis just like this. 

In the past Audi Australia has supported the Foundation by providing similar support to communities recovering from disasters, most recently in August 2020 following the devastation of the bushfires that ravaged so much of the country in 2020. That donation of $100,000 was made to help crisis support group, Lifeline, in its efforts following the fires and this latest initiative is likewise tailored to provide the maximum benefit to the people directly affected.

“The Foundation’s community support program exists for just such situations,” says Hayley Nissim, Audi Foundation Lead.

“This targeted approach will ensure that the funds do the maximum possible good in these flood-ravaged areas, helping students to get back to school and local businesses to start operating once again.”

“One hundred percent of the funds donated will go directly to those who need it most and are on top of the ongoing financial assistance the foundation already provides students in these areas through its support of the Learning for Life program.”