Bringing relief to Australia
The 2019-2020 Australian bushfire season brought devastating fires to Australia. The fires burned an estimated 186,000 square kilometers, destroyed over 5,900 buildings (including 2,779 homes), and killed at least 34 people and an estimated 1 billion animals. Entire communities have been decimated, families have lost their homes and loved ones, and entire ecosystems and wildlife populations will probably never be the same again. But we as a company focus on positive change, even in the face of challenges.
In January 2020, Hatch launched the Hatch Bushfire Appeal to assist those in need and to help provide required resources. Funds raised through this initiative were equally donated to the Australian Red Cross, to provide emergency services personnel, volunteers, and victims with materials and emotional and spiritual support; WIRES (NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Services Inc.), and Wildlife Victoria to help rescue and rehabilitate injured wildlife; and the state fire services in the affected areas.
Our teams around the world hosted numerous fundraising events such as barbecues, pizza lunches, and morning tea. This resulted in approximately A$20,000 of funds raised, which was matched by Hatch, for a total donation of A$40,000. Additionally, we had a number of Australian employees assisting with the disaster relief directly, whose teams we hope to further assist soon.
"The bushfires were devastating to the people of Australia, our land, and the wildlife, and we wanted to be able to help. Through this fundraising initiative, we hope to be able, in a small way, to help our communities to thrive both now and into the future, providing short- and long-term assistance to the people, land, and wildlife affected," said Jan Kwak, regional managing director, Australia-Asia.
Donations have been sent to the following groups:
- Australian Red Cross
- WIRES
- NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS)
- Victorian Country Fire Authority (CFA)
- Bacchus Marsh District 15 Brigade (Desiree Nortje)
- South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS)
Our thoughts go out to our communities affected by the catastrophic bushfires around Australia, the lives lost and their families, the flora and fauna devastated by it, the emergency services, and the countless volunteers who worked tirelessly to fight and prevent the fires.