The VFF has donated $50,000 to natural disaster relief organisation BlazeAid to help regional communities and farmers continue to recover after Victoria’s recent floods.
VFF President Emma Germano said the funds were donated earlier this year through the VFFDisaster Relief Fund and has already been allocated by BlazeAid to those most in need.
“Farmers and regional communities are still picking up the pieces months after record floods devastated so many.”
“The funds have already been allocated and have gone towards helping to repair the thousands of kilometres of ruined fencing and the huge farm building damage that was sustained at the height of the disaster.”
“It’s a small gesture that we hope helps get farmers and regional communities back on track as quickly as possible. I would like to thank the people who kindly donated to the VFF Disaster Relief Fund and the support of organisations like BlazeAid, that go above and beyond to help those in need,” Ms Germano said.
Ms Germano said while the unmistakable damage of the floods was hard to miss, further support and awareness must be given to the hidden dangers lurking around the mental health challenges in the aftermath of such an event.
“It’s hard to miss the confronting physical aftermath of what floods of this magnitude cause, but it’s the hidden mental health burden that we need to shine a light on.”
“The National Centre for Farmer Health’s Building Farm Spirit program is a fantastic service for primary producers who were impacted by floods. They offer a range of video, podcast and other resources to support farmer wellbeing and mental health. They also offer online psychology support delivered by farmer health trained psychologists. I would urge you to visit their website to learn more.”
“The road to recovery has already taken months and will likely stretch into years. It’s about ensuring both financial and mental health support is available for those who need to get back on their feet,” Ms Germano said.