As wild bushfires rage across Australia, thousands upon thousands of people are feeling its harrowing effects.
To date, more than 1,500 homes have been destroyed, with a death toll rising to 23 over the weekend.
The heartbreaking statistics don’t end there – conservationists have also estimated some 500 million animals have been killed as a result of the bushfires.
The stats are desperate and difficult to comprehend – we are facing one of the country’s worst national emergencies ever.
The bushfire crisis has affected thousands of people across the country.
(Getty)But not all hope has been lost.
From the crisis has risen a movement. A movement of people both well-known and little known who have stepped up to offer help and support in their own ways.
A simple scroll through Instagram will tell you as much. You’ll be familiar with a number of people who have single-handedly spearheaded donation campaigns, and you’ll be well-acquainted with the brands that have dedicated large portions of their profits to support the crisis.
Below, we’ve rounded up some of the admirable efforts being made by these people, as well as outlining how you, too, can offer your support.
How you can help
Along with supporting some of the amazing campaigns and efforts being made by the celebrities below, there are many small things you can do as the bushfire crisis continues in Australia.
At this stage, donations are one of the most important tools in helping the communities affected by the crisis, as well as providing support to the brave firefighters who are battling the conditions.
Here are some of the key ways you can help people directly affected:
Donate to the Australian Red Cross, who are supporting thousands of people in areas affected.
Donate to the Salvation Army, who are providing meals and additional support to those affected.
Donate to the St Vincent de Paul society, who are helping affected communities to recover with support to pay their bills, providing them with clothing, and assisting them in rebuilding their homes.
Donate to Foodbank, who will continue to provide meals to those affected.
Donate to the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, who have a Disaster Resilience and Recovery Fund which will support people who have been affected by the bushfires.
You can also offer housing to those in need of accomodation – Airbnb and Find a Bed have special offerings for people affected.
Here are some of the key ways to help the firefighters:
You can donate directly to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, who have set up individual funds to support the families of the firefighters that have been killed.
For Victorian fire brigades, you can donate to the Country Fire Authority. They are also helping to provide additional accomodation for locals who have lost their homes.
You can also donate to the Country Fire Service in South Australia, and the Rural Fire Brigades Association in Queensland.
Here are some of the key ways to support wildlife:
The World Wildlife Fund is taking donations to direct all of its efforts towards Koala conservation.
Donate to WIRES, who are currently helping to care for thousands upon thousands of injured and sick animals affected by the bushfires.
Support various GoFundMe’s which have been set up in support of animals, including Port Macquarie’s Koala Hospital, which is helping to rescue and care for injured animals.
Celebrities drive large-scale action
Along with making donations to the above organisations, there are also plenty of ways to help via the celebrities who have made incredible efforts to rally support for Australia.
A key figure in doing this is Celeste Barber, who has single-handedly raised more than $30 million after she started a Facebook campaign.
The comedian gained attention quickly after she posted a confronting image of her mother-in-law’s house, which was in the thick of one of the areas affected by the bushfires.
You can donate to her campaign here.
Joining Celeste is a slew of other celebrities who have shown their support, including Kiwi choreographer Parris Goebel, who pledged $20 every single time her Instagram post was shared in support of the efforts being made in Australia.
Will Connolly, who is also known fondly by many as ‘Egg Boy’ has also pledged his support in collaboration with actress Magda Szubanski. Taking to his Instagram over the weekend, he explained the pair have set up a GoFundMe page to assist with the mental health impacts from the bushfires.
“We decided to raise money for those effected long term psychologically. Once the fires have burnt out and are no longer on the front page of the newspaper, show them that you still care!” he wrote.
“We are liaising with mental health charities such as beyond blue making sure the money is going where it’s needed most!”
You can donate to their GoFundMe here.
On Tuesday evening, music superstar Elton John pledged to donate one million dollars to the bushfire appeal at his Sydney concert at Qudos Bank Arena.
The statement was met with applause and the Your Song singer shared the clip on his Instagram account.
“Seeing the fires raging across Australia have left me heartbroken. This tragedy has taken lives, homes and devastated so much wildlife. At my Sydney show last night, I pledged $1 million dollars to support the Bushfire Relief Fund. God bless, Australia,” he captioned his video.
Elton John announced he would be donating one million dollars to the bushfire appeal.
(Getty)Chris Hemsworth has also thrown his support behind recovery efforts, announcing on Tuesday afternoon that he and his family will donate a million dollars to the bushfire appeal.
“Like you, I want to support the fight against the bushfires here in Australia. My family and I are contribting a million dollars. Hopefully you guys can chip in too,” Chris wrote on Instagram.
“Every penny counts, so whatever you can muster up is greatly appreciated. Beyond appreciative to everyone around the world for their well wishes and donations. It really does make a difference, so dig deep!”
Chris will also MC an event, named Make It Rain, at the Byron Bay Beach Hotel. Proceeds from the seaside event will go towards those affected by the bushfires.
Find out more about the fundraising event here.
Other celebrities backing the country’s efforts include Nicole Kidman, Lisa Wilkinson, P!nk and many more.
Keep scrolling to see more celebrities showing their support below.
Chris Hemsworth uploaded a video to Instagram revealing he had donated $1 million to the bushfire appeal.
(Credit: Instagram)
