The Red Cross has spent only $5m of its $24m Disaster Fund donations.

The March Lotto fundraiser draw is sitting unused. That's another $11.77m.

People in disaster zones - the supposed beneficiaries - want to know what's happening.

Red Cross

The Red Cross is defending its timeline, saying it's allowing for crucial planning and trials.

Secretary-general Sarah Stuart-Black says the organisation is about to ramp up its donation distribution.

It aims to distribute most of the $24m by August and the remainder by January.

It's been a fine balance between distributing $24m too quickly and getting it wrong, and being criticised for dragging the chain, she says.

For the moment, while 79 cents of every donated dollar remains unspent, it's earning interest of $150k.

Stuart-Black acknowledges some beneficiaries might not realise money they've received has come from the Red Cross.

That's because Red Cross has teamed with others like the Hawke's Bay Regional Trust, which it gave $1m.

Donations have also gone on food parcels, temporary accommodation and the Wairoa Liveable Homes Fund.

So far Red Cross has received 140 applications for grants and approved 32.

It's currently assessing another 70 and hoping to make an announcement on at least 10 others in the next week.

Stuart-Black notes all donated funds and interest will go to affected communities. Red Cross is absorbing the overheads involved in managing the appeal. That is expected to cost about $1m, she says.

Lotto

The Department of Internal Affairs says the $11.77m in lottery profits are for community benefit.

The funds are not available to fix individual homes, to clear silt from businesses or to mend fences on farms.

Clare Toufexis, GM Community Operations, says the special draw was to support the medium- to long-term recovery rather than the immediate relief response.

She didn't say when the money would be distributed. Teams are working with affected communities and other providers, she says.

Meanwhile at ground level ...

One uninsured Wairoa business owner says she lost least $20k worth of equipment and stock.

"That Red Cross money would have been great - we'd be in business right now."

She'd also like the volunteers who stopped their lives to help with cleaning up to benefit.

Another says the lack of immediately-available funds from Red Cross, Lotto and the Government is unacceptable.

He's been working with community groups using funds, volunteers and corporate connections he organised himself.

Bureaucracy and red tape are the problems, he says.

"We'll show you the money when you show us the receipts," farmers and growers are told. It's a Catch-22 situation.

People are hanging out - for help, for next week's Budget and for cash, he says.

Where was Red Cross?

Stuart-Black explains Red Cross' absence during the cleanup.

"We're basically enabling people to clean up rather than paying for the trucks and the diggers that are actually lifting the silt.

"We're supporting the families and the communities through either helping to clean out their homes to make them liveable … or providing the equipment and protective gear that helps them do the cleanup themselves."

"It takes time to think about how they want to recover, and what they need to do that."

Source

• Stuff

Lowe reports that 69 grants have been given to charities and agencies throughout greater Auckland to help families, people and communities in need.

"The outpouring of generosity throughout the country and overseas has been humbling," he says.

"Your gifts have already helped so many begin their recovery from these severe weather events."

Lowe says his Foundation is committed to supporting social services and community groups to reach those in need, especially families.

Mid-February, Lowe offered to expand the range of the Caring Foundation's reach, calling it a national appeal that also covers the damage in the Hamilton and Palmerston North dioceses (ie Coromandel, Gisborne, Napier/Wairoa).

Donations - the stats

Lowe reports many donations helped the Caring Foundation gather tens of thousands of dollars.

They included:

• 1200 donors - individuals, parishes, schools, religious congregations, ethnic communities
• 27 schools - which held fundraising activities

Between them:

• $621,000 was raised: $281,000 for the cyclone appeal; $340,000 for the flood appeal.

Lowe says some money has been sent to foodbanks, parishes and social agencies. Bedding, clothing and furniture have been frequently purchased items, he notes.

He says the donations were also used to help in some schools where the disasters had severely impacted students, helping students pay for school uniforms and stationery.

"Thank you for being a lifeline to our sisters and brothers in these challenging times." Lowe says.

Source

• Caring Foundation

Jayde Jones's Kainga Ora home was built on a flood plain, and lifted off its foundations when a historic deluge swept across the city.

Jones believes the state housing agency should pay to replace her belongings; Kainga Ora says that's the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Development (MSD). Read more

Principal Kate Nicholson's message has hit the headlines - just when she hoped to duck from media about the school's scandalous past.

Expecting the reason (sexual abuse) for the former Kavanagh College's name change to be front page news, Kate Nicholson wrote in her 29 January email:

"At least Auckland's terrible weekend is likely to keep us off the front page — a silver lining hopefully."

Four people died on 27 January as a result of the unprecedented weather event. A state of emergency was declared in the Auckland and Thames-Coromandel regions.

Nicholson's email was sent on 29 January, while Auckland was still being battered by historic flooding - the day after a pre-dawn blessing was held at Trinity Catholic College.

Staff, pupils, two survivors and members of the community attended the blessing.

The school was blessed with a new name because a 2020 investigation into the late Bishop of Dunedin John Kavanagh, after whom the school was named, found seven priests, two brothers and one lay teacher sexually abused children and an adult during his time as bishop.

Defending her message, Nicholson explained "all our work so far has been to acknowledge our past, learn from it and try to not re-traumatise survivors in the process, and I hope our actions in these challenging circumstances are not misconstrued".

Network of Survivors spokesperson Liz Tonks says the school's name change was a significant step, although some within the church still fail to accept or understand the impacts of abuse.

"It was clear that the blessing and acknowledgement was kept on the down-low by the College.

"The network has been in its headlights for the best part of five years working to achieve the change of name for survivors, and yet no formal and sufficient notice was received to allow survivors to attend and appropriate supports to be put in place for an event that had the potential to re-trigger trauma.

"Only two survivors of the many were able to attend.

"Others were unaware until the network was able to circulate the event on social media a few days before and arrange a local advocate/supporter to livestream the blessing."

Nicholson's email "illustrates a complete lack of understanding of survivor trauma and how important the name change was to survivor healing and restoration of their mana", she says.

"It illustrates a lack of intent to reach out to other survivors strewn throughout New Zealand who were given no notice or opportunity to attend or come forward if they have remained silent.

"What it does illustrate, is a continuation of church institutions seeing protecting of their reputation more important than addressing the harm suffered by those abused in its care."

Bishop Dooley was travelling and was unavailable when media sought him for comment.

Source

• NZ Herald
• Otago Daily Times
• Image:

"Homes have been totally destroyed, leaving many families literally with just the clothes on their backs. They will have to begin to rebuild their lives from zero," she says.

But, besides being left with nothing, Parker is concerned that many will miss out on getting the help they need.

"The information we've been getting from our partner agencies on the ground is that there are still many families who are too ashamed and embarrassed to come forward for help.

"They have no cooking facilities, no food and pantry items, and no kitchen utensils. Furniture, clothes, bedding, precious family memories have all been thrown out after being contaminated by flood water," she says.

Help is available

Loraine Elliott, Vicar for the Catholic Caring Foundation's Social Impact and Communications, is also concerned.

"Families are still struggling with the flood waters that rose so quickly.

"They are suffering from trauma and the shock of losing their homes and belongings.

"Some of them are now faced with trying to get their children to school with no uniforms or stationery. It will be a long road to recovery."

She is urging people to turn to the Foundation if they need help.

"The Caring Foundation is able to move quickly and with impact so that funds can get to the front-line where they are desperately needed," she stresses.

Bishop's emergency flood appeal for help

Catholic Bishop of Auckland Steve Lowe has launched an emergency flood appeal to help families in the Auckland diocese who have been devastated by the recent floods.

The Catholic Caring Foundation is accepting donations on Bishop Steve's behalf to help agencies in the Auckland Diocese deliver vital help to the many families severely impacted by the floods.

"Like you, I was shocked to see the destruction the floods brought in such a short time. Like you, I want to help those whose lives have been thrown into disarray," he says.

"Donations from the emergency appeal will be used for food, shelter, clothes and other essential supplies and support services.

"Many of the Foundation's partner agencies have been working around the clock to ensure that people are safe, and able to get the help that they need quickly."

With more bad weather on the way, the Foundation is still looking forward to receiving much-needed donations, he adds.

Source

• Supplied - Catholic Caring Foundation