Catholic aid agency offers
grants for ongoing bushfire recovery in Australia
 |
| Catholic Emergency Relief Australia (CERA) grant |
Catholic Emergency Relief Australia opens grant applications
for Australians hard-hit by the 2019 to 2020 bushfire season. Applications
close on 5 June, with successful applicants and projects set to be announced on
15 June.
By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ
Catholic Emergency Relief Australia (CERA) has opened an
initial grant application process to support people “continuing the long
process of recovery from the summer’s catastrophic bushfire season.” The
organization made the announcement in a press release on Monday.
CERA chairperson - Susan Pascoe said while the country is
“largely – and understandably – focused on the Covid-19 pandemic,” challenges
like social isolation and financial hardship are exacerbating some problems the
bushfires caused.
“Some of the people who were deployed to offer material,
physical, emotional and pastoral support to affected communities, including
people from Church agencies, had to put their efforts on hold as the pandemic
took hold,” Ms. Pascoe said.
CERA, launched in February, brings together several key
national organizations and Catholic ministries that serve the Australian
community. It was founded by the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference,
Catholic Religious Australia, Catholic Social Service Australia and the
National Catholic Education Commission.
CERA’s efforts
“Catholic Emergency Relief Australia’s focus is on the
journey to recovery, which can take months or years,” remarked Ms. Pascoe.
She pointed out that the initial distribution of funds will
be directed towards “the provision of additional grief and trauma counselling”
for those affected by the bushfires, as well as “other mental and emotional
support.” It will also be used to support “community building
initiatives.”
CERA is also supporting the Church’s coronavirus response by
playing a coordinating role in an audit of Catholic facilities that could be
used to help during the pandemic or in future emergency situations.
“This is not about trying to weigh up if the bushfires or
the pandemic are the greater challenge, but about recognizing that there are
people who are struggling in various ways following the bushfires and their
recovery has, in some ways, been stalled,” Ms. Pascoe said.
Gratitude for donations
CERA has been receiving donations to fund medium- and
long-term responses to the bushfires. It announced that once $100,000 had been
donated, a first application grant round would open.
“We are grateful for the support of people across Australia
and beyond who have donated to CERA, trusting that the work of our Catholic
agencies will make a difference in people’s lives,” said Ursula Stephens, the
CEO of Catholic Social Services Australia. “We will repay that generosity with
support and services that make a difference.”
Application deadline
The deadline for applications is 5 June. All donations
received before that date are eligible to be included in this first round of
allocations. Successful applications will be announced on 15 June.
Further information can be found on CERA’s website.
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