Questions and Answers /

I’m worried about a loved one who may have been caught up in the disaster. 

Our Register.Find.Reunite. service is open for the Qld and NSW rainfall and floods. This service helps people who have been separated in an emergency to get back in contact with each other.

Visit register.redcross.org.au to enquire about someone who may be in an area affected.

I’m affected by the floods, does Red Cross offer financial support? 

We will be providing financial assistance to help individuals and families affected by the Qld and NSW floods. We are currently seeking donations through our Qld and NSW Floods Appeal to be able to commence providing this support.

We understand that people need help urgently. We will provide more details on how much will be disbursed, eligibility criteria, timelines and processes for application as soon as we can. 

For information on financial assistance provided by the Australian Government, please visit disasterassist.gov.au or check state government sites.

I’d like to offer my home/accommodation for people impacted by the floods 

That’s incredibly generous, thank you. But we’re not able to organise accommodations for people evacuating the floods at this time. 

At Red Cross, our focus is on helping as many people as possible to get to public evacuation centres and ensure they have a safe place to sleep with emergency support on hand. These centres can open and close quickly as the flood situation changes.

How does Red Cross help in emergencies? 

Red Cross is there for everyone in an emergency – from the survivors to the fire fighters. We help people find missing loved ones. We offer a safe place to sleep at evacuation centres. We support people experiencing stress and trauma. Afterwards, we help people get the information and ongoing care they need to repair the damage and recover from the trauma.

Can I donate to support people impacted by the floods?

Thank you! You can help today by making a tax-deductible donation to our Qld and NSW Floods Appeal at redcross.org.au/floodsappeal or by calling 1800 RED CROSS (1800 733 276). 

Where does my donation go? 

Your generosity can help Red Cross teams to provide humanitarian support to people and communities affected by the floods. Based on ongoing needs assessment in Queensland and NSW and amount raised, that support may include: 

• Enabling volunteers and staff to help with evacuations, relief centres and outreach service 
• Supporting people and communities to recover and to build resilience to disasters

In the unlikely event that the funds raised exceed the amount required to meet the emergency needs of people in affected areas, or if there are circumstances beyond Red Cross’ control, excess funds will be directed to Red Cross’ broader disaster response and recovery work in Australia.

Is my donation tax-deductible? 

Donations above $2 are tax-deductible in Australia. You will receive a receipt in your name in an email when you donate online.

Can I raise funds to support your emergency work?

Our emergency teams would be really grateful for that. We can send you a fundraising toolkit to make it easy. Visit redcross.org.au/fundraise to get started.

How much of my donation goes to admin? 

We do everything we can to keep costs low, including seeking pro bono support. No more than 10c in the dollar will be used for essential operating costs such as collecting and administering donations and IT costs. 

Can my business or company donate or raise funds? 

We welcome and we’re grateful for the support of most businesses.  You can call 1800 RED CROSS (1800 733 276) and ask for our Partnerships Team, or email contactus@redcross.org.au with your details and they’ll get right back to you.

Can I donate canned food, clothes or other goods? 

We really appreciate the generosity but we’re unable to accept or distribute donated goods. 

The Qld and NSW floods emergency is rapidly changing and evolving, with evacuation centres opening and closing as needed. Flooding has blocked numerous roads, making it difficult for people to seek help and for relief to reach them. Currently, the priority of Red Cross, Government, and other emergency service agencies is to ensure people are safe.

If you have good-quality clothes or household items, our Red Cross Shops would gratefully accept them, to on-sell in Australia and raise funds for our vital work. Visit redcross.org.au/stores to find your nearest shop.

Can I volunteer to help? 

Thank you! We welcome volunteers any time, but we can only send people who are trained in Red Cross procedures to this emergency. Visit redcross.org.au/volunteer to see what roles we have now and get yourself on the list for future emergencies.

Why are you asking for more money when you raised millions during the bushfires? 

We are using the money donated during the bushfires to help those directly affected by the fires – including those who lost loved ones or homes, and those who were injured. We won’t and can’t use those funds for any other purpose.

As of 31 December 2021, 96% of the funds raised for the bushfires have been disbursed or spent. We know from our work after other disasters that recovery takes years, not months. This is why we are still supporting bushfire affected communities and will continue to do so. Red Cross is actively supporting the ongoing bushfire recovery efforts in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. The remaining funds are allocated for this ongoing recovery support, across a 3-year program. This work includes psychosocial support, capacity building, community recovery and advocacy. For more information visit redcross.org.au/bushfirereport.

What did you do with the millions donated during the FY19/20 bushfires? 

Thousands of generous people gave in response to bushfires in FY 19/20. Perhaps you were one of them and already know how grateful we are. All of those funds have been committed to helping people affected by those particular fires: as grants that help them cope with financial hardship, repair their homes and re-establish a safe place to live, and through longer-term recovery programs in each community. As of 31 December 2021, 96% of the funds raised for the bushfires have been disbursed or spent. The remaining funds are allocated to our long-term recovery work. Visit redcross.org.au/bushfirereport to see your generosity in action.

Why haven’t you distributed all of the bushfire funds? 

Recovery takes a long time. Red Cross is actively supporting the long-term bushfire recovery efforts in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. The remaining funds are allocated for this ongoing recovery support, across a 3-year program. This work includes psychosocial support, capacity building, community recovery and advocacy. For more information visit redcross.org.au/bushfirereport.