RRT Food Boxes supporting storm recovery
The Rapid Relief Team (RRT), in partnership with the City of Gold Coast, supplied 200 food boxes to support residents experiencing the double blows of the cost-of-living crisis and the aftermath of the devastating Christmas and New Year storms.
With the assistance of the City’s Disaster Recovery Grant Program, RRT has provided Food Boxes to aid storm recovery to various community organisations, which will distribute them directly to families in desperate need.
RRT Local Team Leader Stephen Taylor said the temporary food relief will help families dealing with storm recovery and the cost-of-living crunch heading into Winter.
“It’s been a hard road to recovery over the past five months, especially with rising cost-of-living, but the Gold Coast community is resilient. We hope these Food Boxes will provide some relief,” Stephen said. “We pack our Food Boxes full of non-perishable products that provide temporary food relief, including cereal, long-life milk, canned fish, rice, pasta, and other snacks. Of course, we also throw in some vegetables, fruit, and chocolate. Rapid Relief Team volunteers helped in the immediate clean-up after the floods, and we are pleased we can continue to give back in a different way five months on.”
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the Food Box donation is one of the many ways the Disaster Recovery Grant program has benefited the community.
“This severe weather event had a devastating impact on so many residents across the city. There was always going to be a long recovery time and it is great to see that support is continuing five months on,” Mayor Tate said. “This food will help families who were hit hard by the storms and are still dealing with the cost-of-living crisis. I’m pleased the City of Gold Coast, charities and community organisations can come together like this to help those in need.”
The food boxes will be provided to seven organisations to distribute to the community:
- Centacare – Gold Coast Family Relationship Centre;
- Crosslife Bapits Church – Helensvale Community Food Pantry;
- Hearts of Purple;
- Nerang Neighbourhood Centre;
- Oxenford Coomera Community & Youth Centre;
- Safe Haven Community and
- Studio Village Community Services.
When the storm hammered the Gold Coast in December 2023, dozens of RRT volunteers from across the country joined the clean-up effort. The teams worked around the clock to clear more than 2,000 cubic metres of downed trees and vegetation, serving over 500 meals to the locals and other supporting teams.
