Car, video games, livestock hay and light air delivery among goods and services donated to www.wikifloods.com.au for flood sufferers

Television sets, video game consoles, livestock hay, light air delivery and a car are among the wide range of goods and services donated to an online registry for people affected by the floods in Queensland, Northern NSW and Victoria.

The site www.wikifloods.com.au acts as a noticeboard for flood sufferers in need of goods and services, and for people who can provide them.   Established by Fitzroy Oxfam Group, the site has received growing community support with approximately 12,000 page views and over a hundred donations.

The highest growing number of donations is for furniture and household goods including dining tables, a television, washing machine and fridge.  Other donations on the site include a generator, baby food, phone charger and back to school essentials.

According to Brian Moran OAM, Chair of Fitzroy Oxfam Group, the registry tackles the logistical challenge behind connecting the overwhelming number of Australians who want to donate material goods with those that need it most.

“Whilst material donations are a magnificent gesture from Australian businesses and communities, the reality is that it’s often a huge logistic challenge for emergency organisations who are already directing all their resources to offering immediate assistance to those in need.

Our registry surpasses this challenge and allows donors and recipients to contact each other and facilitate the exchange directly.  In circumstances where delivery is an issue, recipients can also contact the people who have registered on the site and are offering transport and delivery services,” said Moran.

The registry was first built during the 2008 Victorian bushfires in response to the many emergency organisations who couldn’t cope with the logistics behind managing the organisation and transport of donations.

“While there is a fantastic amount of goodwill, given the nature of the site, we’d like to highlight that the donated goods and services have not been screened. We are advising people to be responsible and make their own judgement when accepting or donating material goods,” said Moran.

Contributions to support the online registry are being made by the E Team, Melbourne Caravan Hire and a whole bunch of other volunteers committed to do their bit to help.

To donate goods and services to the registry or if you have been affected by the Queensland floods and need assistance, please go to: www.wikifloods.com.au. 

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To contact Brian Moran for any media interviews, you can reach him directly on +61 0403 204 320.  Alternatively, you can also contact Grace Gabriel at Espresso Communications on +61 0431 528 127 or grace@espressocomms.com.au.