Since opening in the week following the February bushfires, The Salvation Army’s Seymour warehouse has been the coordination point for much of the material and psychological aid in the Murrindindi and Mitchell Shires.
The site’s operations, run by the region’s Pathways Bushfire Recovery Program, support communities from Wallan to Alexandra, and as far south as Flowerdale.
Central to the work run out of this office is the material aid delivered twice-weekly from the warehouse. Michael Doyle, warehouse supervisor at Seymour, said that current items in demand included fridges, kitchen appliances and beds. While demand fluctuates, currently around 30 requests for material aid are received each week. Earlier in the year, there were periods in which over 100 requests were being received each week.
The truck deliveries not only provide material relief, but also an opportunity for residents getting their lives back on track to chat and receive further support. For this reason, Jodie Harris, a community development and outreach worker with Pathways, and other support staff often go on the delivery rounds to provide emotional support and to connect victims with additional services.
Visits to affected residents not only assist those people in their recovery journey, but also provide The Salvation Army’s Pathways staff and volunteers with important information about the most pressing issues and needs of people in need. This information can then be used to determine future programs and activities to coordinate, as well as people to visit in future.
Despite the constant flow of material aid from Seymour since almost immediately following the fires, it is expected to continue to be coordinated from the Seymour warehouse for approximately the next twelve months.
