In what can only be described as a national shame, a crowdfunding campaign has become necessary to help NSW North Coast flood victims insulate their gutted homes against the depths of a wintery cold snap.
Overnight temperatures got as low as four degrees during the first week of June in Lismore, adding to the misery of flood victims, many of whom are still without walls, let alone hot water and heating.
A group calling itself Insulate Lismore aims to raise $25,000 to help thousands of flood victims insulate their stripped down homes at least one or two rooms at a time.
They have set up an account on GoFundMe and have so far raised a little over $8000.
Nearly four months after what has been described as Australia's fourth worst disaster on record, hundreds of cold and weary flood victims are essentially camping out in their own homes.
With only sporadic help and funding arriving from national and state bodies, many flood victims, since the first event struck on February 28, have been largely left to their own devices and charitable help from within their own community.
The Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation doesn't stand up until July 1 and the results of the NSW Flood Inquiry, run by Mick Fuller and Mary O'Kane, won't deliver their findings until next month.
With details about land swaps, buy backs or house raising programs yet to be announced, many flood impacted residents are living at their homes because they have no other options.
The Insulate Lismore crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe began on June 11.
The people behind the campaign were concerned about the fire risk as residents had reportedly been using carboard and old election signs to line their homes.
"We think we can do better and have started lining houses with Gyprock donated to us for free," the group's GoFundMe post states.
"We are attempting to line two rooms in each family home. This takes us about two days per house and provides heatable spaces
"We are asking for money for materials and diesel for our truck only."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Picture's on the group's GoFundMe page show people camping out in pop up tents.
Posts also talk about lining a shed for a 77 year old woman by the name of Jeannette.
"We bought more board, the ply to line Jeanette's ceiling and the stuff to seal the joints in her walls," the group's post on GoFundMe states.
"We need materials donations will enable us to create more heatable spaces."
It continues to be tough going for many flood victims nearly four months on from the first flood.
Operating in a vacuum, and without key leadership, many people appear to be muddling through a very dire situation.
While there are still plenty of houses empty in and around the centre of town, there's also plenty of renovations going on.
And the front of many homes don't tell the whole story. Whilst places have been cleaned up, the inside of the homes remain gutted and yet people are living inside.
To donate to the group's fundraising campaign go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/insulate-lismore
I'm a media professional with over 34 years of experience in public relations and journalism, including a decade setting Lismore's news agenda as the editor of The Northern Star. I have proven track record in growing audiences and improving engagement by delivering quality local stories for and about the Lismore community.
I'm a media professional with over 34 years of experience in public relations and journalism, including a decade setting Lismore's news agenda as the editor of The Northern Star. I have proven track record in growing audiences and improving engagement by delivering quality local stories for and about the Lismore community.
