Farmer support group Aussie Helpers has allocated “about two hundred grand” to kick-off relief efforts as drought hurts a large part of western NSW.
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The charity that’s operated since 2002 has set up a base at Dubbo for the next few weeks as it reaches out to struggling primary producers.
Aussie Helpers co-founder Brian Egan was in the city on Friday when some vital loads of stock feed arrived by truck.
He reports the group is focusing on an area from Tamworth “right down to virtually Canberra”.
Its resources - all obtained through private donations - will be put to use for the virtual psychologist program which is “a big deal” of what it does, and meeting other needs farming families may have, he said.
“We’ve allocated about two hundred grand to kick it off down here, it might cost more than that, it might cost half a million dollars, I don’t know, but we’ve got the money behind us to be able to do that sort of stuff,” Mr Egan said.
Aussie Helpers would be working closely with the Department of Primary Industries and had four volunteers set up at Dubbo, “plus other people on the ground”, he said.
Read more: Make it rain: drought response disagreement
They would be heading out to farms to see how people were going.
“Some people don’t need help, but we go and see them and everyone gets a box of groceries and the girls gets a pamper pack, which makes them smile,” he said.
“And we just sit down and have a cup of tea and work out how we can assist them, whether it be stock feed, [and] we do a lot of psychological counselling.
“We’ve got a program called virtual psychologist, and that really saves lives.”
Other help could include food or fuel vouchers.
“We’ve got plenty of them, and that’s all thanks to just the Australian public,” Mr Egan said.
“...The public are very generous to us, they probably donate anywhere between $2 million and $3 million a year for what we do.”
Aussie Helpers has been there when times are tough.
“It’s a system that works and it gives you a good feeling to be able to help people put a smile on their face because…” Mr Egan said.
“Look there’s lots of hugs and tears out there, I seem to spend half my life someone hugging me or crying on my shoulder.
“But they’ve got nowhere else to go, it’s very hard.”
Aussie Helpers aims to support farmers and keep their breeding stock alive.
“...so they can have something to carry on with, later on when it does rain,” Mr Egan said.
He urged farmers to reach out to them via the organisation’s email address.
“Please don’t be shy, we’re here to help you,” he said.
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
