Support for Australian bush-fire relief: Ways you can help through Oncore

The wildfires have so far burned more than 12 million acres, they have killed at least 24 people, and nearly 2000 homes have been destroyed. So many have rallied together to raise funds to support the victims in this crisis and we want to ensure we do our part, no matter how big or small.

Join Oncore’s local support appeal with Foodbank QLD

Oncore and The Maroochydore Chamber of Commerce are partnering with Foodbank Queensland to deliver much needed shelf-stable items directly to those affected by the bush fires in NSW and VIC.

We are reaching out to everyone, including our clients, employees and contractors in the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane areas for your support in this local appeal.

These items are needed urgently so we are accepting donations up until Wednesday 15th January at the following addresses:

(Note: Drop off locations are open during business hours)

Sunshine Coast Oncore Office

2/8 Denna Street, Maroochydore (located behind the IGA)

Brisbane Oncore Office

S1 Level 2 The Precinct 12 Browning Street West End, Queensland, 4101

Ideal items to donate are:

• Good quality tinned food (ideally with ring pull tops)
• UHT milk – Easy to grab items such as muesli bars, cereals, biscuits and – pantry staples
• Pet food
• Sanitary and personal hygiene items, eg. toilet paper, toothbrushes

We will ensure your much-needed donations are sent to the Foodbank warehouse in Brisbane to be distributed to those who need it most.

Salary Package financial donations through Oncore

Another great way to support our bush fire victims is to donate financially to a registered charity or organisation like The Red Cross and Foodbank.

Oncore has advised our Contractors that they can Salary Package their donations. The process is simple and easy and all that needs to be done is a simple upload of invoice/receipt of a tax-deductible donation and the amount is salary sacrificed for them. (Note: This is not available for contractors paid through their own company structure)

This is something you can ask your Contractor Management Company or employer about if you are not currently payrolled by Oncore.

If you would like to salary package your donations, we urge you to ensure your donations are going to reputable, registered charities and be mindful they need to have an ATO DGR Status (Deductible Gift Recipients) in order for your donation to be tax-deductible. Also, note that some charities including some of the ones listed below will have different terms of issuing donation receipts.

Where can you donate?

A number of popular organisations to donate to are listed below:

NSW Rural Fire Service: donate here.

Victorian Country Fire Association: donate here.

NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES): donate here.

The World Wildlife Fund have set up a “Help Save Koalas” fund: donate here.

The Salvation Army: donate here.

Australian Red Cross: donate here.

Foodbank Australia: donate here.

There are also a few GOFUNDME groups taking donations like

RCSA ‘Recruiters for bush fire relief’: donate here.

Counselling Support Line: 1800 276 113

This is one of the worst natural disasters Australia has faced and while some areas have received some much-needed rainfall, it is still nowhere near enough to extinguish these flames. The enormity of the crisis is still hard to fathom for most. For those directly impacted, we can only imagine the mental and emotional stress they are going through.

We are proud to announce that our friends at APM have established a dedicated telephone line to provide counselling and mental health support from their national team of qualified psychologists.

The support line is available at no cost to anyone in the community impacted by the bush fires and will remain open indefinitely until the crisis recedes.

Finally, if you have any questions about the above information, please feel free to contact us info@oncoreservices.com