How Coles is helping Aussie towns impacted by the recent floods

Funds raised will go toward enabling volunteers and staff to help with evacuations and supporting people and communities to recover and to build resilience to disasters.

Torrential rain continues to lash Australia’s east coast as the system moves south, causing millions of dollars in damages, and forcing people to evacuate their homes.

To provide immediate and long-term support to flood-affected communities in NSW and Queensland, Coles has pledged up to $1 million to the Australian Red Cross Qld and NSW Floods Appeal.

Leybourne Street, Chelmer, Flooding in Brisbane and Ipswich. Picture: Liam Kidston

Customers can also donate at any Coles supermarket and Coles Express store across Australia, with the supermarket giant matching customer donations dollar-for-dollar up to $1 million for the Australian Red Cross Qld and NSW Floods Appeal until March 15.

Funds raised will go toward enabling volunteers and staff to help with evacuations, relief centres and outreach service, and supporting people and communities to recover and to build resilience to disasters.

Australian Red Cross acting director of Australian Programs, Garry Page, said people have been forced to leave their homes and seek shelter in evacuation centres.

“Properties have been badly damaged, and a massive clean-up will be required,” he said.

“These floods will have a long-term impact on communities and Australian Red Cross will be there to support them along the way.

Lismore, Grafton and Maclean are experiencing near record river levels. Picture: Toby Zerna

“Coles support for the appeal will help our teams continue to provide critical support on the ground.”

Coles Group chief operations officer Matt Swindells said: “These devastating floods have impacted so many of our own team, customers and suppliers so we want to help those doing it tough by opening our check-outs across Australia to take donations and show our support by matching those donations dollar for dollar to the value of $1 million.

“As roads reopen and the clean-up begins, we want to assure customers that we are working hard to replenish shelves as quickly as possible and get essential food items into flood-affected regions.”