In August, volunteers and staff from Anglicare Sydney and Anglicare NSW South, NSW West & ACT gathered to recognise a shared 25 years of bringing hope to disaster affected people and communities.
Anglicare Sydney’s Disaster Recovery Manager, Magnus Linder, spoke on the day, recognising the efforts of volunteers, past and present, in reaching this milestone. “Ninety-five percent of the work that has been done has been done by volunteers”, he said. “Today we want to give thanks to God for you and for your preparedness to go into difficult places to hang out with hurting people and to be prepared to share the pain of loss with strangers.”
A common saying among disaster recovery volunteers is that they are “ordinary people making a difference in extraordinary situations”. Anglicare’s Regional Disaster Recovery Coordinator, Helen Bennett agrees. “Events in recent years, including the Black Summer bushfires and several severe flooding events remind us that catastrophic events can happen anywhere, with very little warning”, she said. “Having a team ready to assist communities when they are at their most vulnerable is absolutely essential, and we are so thankful to our volunteers who have trained and are ready to help when needed.”
If you are interested in becoming a Disaster Recovery volunteer with Anglicare, phone us on 02 6232 2488 or CLICK HERE for more information.
