Allan Border goes into bat for the Salvos
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Allan Border goes into bat for the Salvos
Former Australian cricket captain Allan Border presents the cheque to Major Neil Dickson on behalf of Sunboost at Queensland Divisional Headquarters earlier this month (prior to social distancing requirements).
The Salvation Army has received a welcome boost to its national Bushfire Relief Appeal with solar power company Sunboost handing over a cheque for $18,400.
Former Australian and Queensland cricket captain Allan Border, who is the public face of Sunboost, presented the donation to Major Neil Dickson at Queensland Divisional Headquarters earlier this month.
The money will be added to the more than $43 million Australians have so far pledged to the appeal.
The appeal was launched on 9 November last year. So far $37.3 million of the pledged $43 million has been received and more than $22 million distributed to where it is most needed.
Neil (Assistant Divisional Commander) said the Army was one of the first organisations to set up a response to the bushfires to collect donations to support those affected and that Sunboost was one of the first companies to offer a corporate donation to appeal.
“(The donation) is an indicator of the generosity of Sunboost and their intention to show good corporate responsibility and, more particularly, to think about people affected by the bushfires,” Neil said. “The Salvation Army has been doing several things in the course of bushfire relief and recovery. Initially, we were providing catering services in 165 locations across Australia.”
Catering services included providing meals, refreshments, material aid and financial support for first responders and evacuees.
“That took our attention in the early days,” Neil said. “Now we are in the recovery phase of helping families who really need financial support. We are assessing each family individually and determining what level of assistance we are giving so the $18,400 will go directly to helping those families.
“We know that this is going to be a long haul. It’s not going to be over in a few weeks or months. We’re committed to being there with people who are really struggling and need support like Sunboost has recognised.
“We know that Aussies love sport and it’s great that ambassadors and Aussie legends like Allan Border get on board with a cause like this.”
This is the first time The Salvation Army in Australia has tackled a major crisis as one territory and set up a nationally co-ordinated and locally embedded Bushfire Recovery Team. The processing of the donations is the focus of the team, which is providing support primarily to people who have lost everything.
The Bushfire Recovery Team’s services include financial assistance and counselling.
Social responsibility
When handing over the cheque, Allan said that it was good to have a successful business but with that success must come corporate and social responsibility.
“We know The Salvation Army does great things in the community and, in general helping people out, but certainly this as an opportunity for Sunboost to do something and show corporate responsibility; to put something back into the community,” Allan said.
“There has been an incredible outpouring from the Australian public (to support the bushfire-affected). The amount of money that’s been raised has been quite extraordinary.
“It’s a long-term fix. It’s not going to be fixed overnight. The damage has been catastrophic so it’s going to take a while but those funds that have been raised and continue to be raised are going to a lot of those communities who are going to be doing it tough for a long, long time – not just the short term. Aussies are a pretty resilient people. Over time, they will bounce back stronger than ever.”
Allan also said the Army had a strong reputation for the way it used donated funds. “Everything that comes in gets used in some way shape or form; to help people affected by the bushfires. They’ll put it to good use. They always do,” he said.
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