This is no joke! At 11.30am today The Echo Northern Rivers 2022 Flood Donation appeal had raised just over $74,000 and has distributed $70,000 to groups helping flood-affected communities.
The regions including Lismore, Mullumbimby and surrounding hinterland, Byron Bay, Murwillumbah and surrounding townships and Ballina have been recipients of donations from the fund.
The quick response and generosity of donors
The fund was established the day after the flood on 1 March, but the sudden loss of telecommunications meant that it could not effectively be shared until 7 March.
Once the fund went live, fund organiser and General Manager of The Echo, Simon Haslam said that the generosity of donors, and their quick response, made it possible to get money into the bank accounts of grassroots organisations very rapidly when it was most needed, and the steady flow of donations has enabled that support to be continued.
Groups including Lismore Helping Hands (Resilient Lismore), Northern Rivers Community Gateway – Lismore, Mullumbimby & District Neighbourhood Centre, Murwillumbah Community Centre, Human Nature Youth Mental Health, The Family Centre Murwillumbah, Resilient Byron, Byron Bay Community Benefit Fund, Ballina Richmond Rotary Club have been given funds so far.
If you or your business would like to add to the fund, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/echo-northern-rivers-2022-flood-donation-appeal.
To see the latest footage from Echo journalist and Cloudcatcher Media Filmmaker David Lowe, follow this link.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
