A little bit of support at the right time can make all the difference and build resilience.
In the past year we’ve supported people on the worst day of their life, when they’re facing a crisis, when they’re feeling down and when they can’t catch a break. Because when we’re there for people facing tough times, we help them find their own strength to build on.
Here’s what we achieved in the past year.
In the past year we supported 64,763 Australians affected by emergencies and disasters. We showed people how to get prepared, we provided personal support at the scene and made follow-up visits in the weeks afterwards.
We provided support in response to 51 emergencies in Australia in the past year, including fires, floods and cyclones. We also sent 87 aid workers to support emergency operations in 36 countries.
Dale was born with non-thalidamide phocomaelia, which he says is "Latin for missing a few bits and pieces". When a massive flood in Townsville left his home full of mould, Red Cross helped him get it cleaned up so he could get back to work. Photo: Australian Red Cross/Aysha Leo
More than 2.5 million Australians are living in poverty and more than 116,000 people are homeless. Red Cross ran community hubs in several locations, where people could get a meal, a shower or access services and get advice and information about what support is available.
In addition we supported 1,044 migrants and people seeking asylum who were facing vulnerability with grocery vouchers, public transport cards, and help with emergency housing and other costs.
‘Fortitude’ is Matt’s newest tattoo. It’s a quality that’s seen him survive homelessness and addiction, set goals, find a safe place to live and start a career in youth work. Photo: Australian Red Cross/Kerry Klimm
Every day of the past year, Red Cross reached out to people, who were facing difficult circumstances alone. We provided support and connection with others – the essential networks to help people find the strength and resilience to manage life’s challenges.
We also supported 3,327 recently arrived refugees to live safely and settle in their new communities, as well as supporting families separated by conflict, disaster and migration to reconnect or get closure.
Regular phone calls from volunteers helped Robyne get through what she calls "a very dark place". Now she makes the calls so that older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people never have to feel alone. Photo: Australian Red Cross/Aysha Leo
In remote areas we helped young people with practical things like getting a drivers licence or mentoring so they can finish school. Then when they entered the workforce we helped with job readiness programs. Many of the young people we work with have had contact with the criminal justice system.
Our teams also ran camps, drop-in services and cultural programs to help young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples feel connected with who they are. And we supported young parents having a tough time to build on the skills they needed to raise their children.
Sport has always been Rose’s "happy place". We helped her navigate a tough period in her life and set goals. Now she’s training for the National Indigenous Women’s League and we’re proud to run alongside her. Photo: Australian Red Cross/Dilini Perera