Our commitment to supporting Australian communities in times of disaster is brought to life through our national partnership with Australian Red Cross.
Since 2019, we’ve offered free mail redirection services to thousands of Australians who have been unable to return home because of a disaster, and we’ve fundraised more than $1.9 million for Australian Red Cross by collecting donations at participating Post Offices and running other fundraising initiatives. This has supported Red Cross’ vital work, including helping communities to be better prepared for emergencies, providing comfort and care to impacted communities during a disaster and supporting their recovery.
Together, we aim to provide more people with the resources to prepare for disasters – because we know that the more prepared you are, the quicker the recovery is.
Through the Pillowcase Workshops, Australia Post and Australian Red Cross educate school children, who live in a high-risk area, about disaster.
Each student is given a pillowcase to decorate and take home, to start their personal emergency kit with their family.
The workshop aims to build community capability and resilience by:
Video: Child drawing on pillowcases with the Australian Red Cross logo in the top left corner and the Australia Post logo in the top right corner
Audio (Tarryn Murray, Pillowcase Program Volunteer, Australian Red Cross): Being able to prepare these students, in both how to relax
Video: Two Australian Red Cross female volunteers sit cross-legged on the floor in a classroom with students...
Video: Tarryn talking to camera...
Audio (Tarryn): and through our breathing in colour, but also in preparing a pillowcase,...
Video: Kids drawing in the classroom...
Audio (Tarryn): ...gives them power.
Video: Chelsea Warfield, Teacher, Derby District High School talking to camera...
Audio (Chelsea): People get trapped in communities quite often. And a lot of our students and families...
Video: Overview of rural area with a single road in to and out of town...
Audio (Chelsea): ...will get caught out there in the wet seasion.
Video: Overview of the town itself.
Audio (Rebekah Martin, Senior Officer and WA Pillowcase Coordinator, Australian Red Cross): Each community is completely different....
Video: Rebekah talking to camera.
Audio (Rebekah): ...and we acknowledge that, and we want to ensure that...
Video: children playing with cards on the ground.
Audio (Rebekah): ...the program fits to the community's needs.
Video: Steven Cox (Broome Postal Manager, Australia Post) and Rebekah walk through the town past the past office.
Audio (Rebekah): The support of funders like Australia Post...
Video: Rebekah and male post office team member standing in the post office looking at drawings kids have done.
Audio (Rebekah): ...is incredibly vital.
Video: Steven speaking to camera within the post office.
Audio (Steven): Empowering and educating school children on preparedness...
Video: Kids drawing in a classroom.
Audio (Steven): ...not only makes a difference to themselves, but their families and the resilience of the whole community.
Video: Two female Australian Red Cross volunteers standing in classroom with kids holding up their completed drawn on pillowcases.
Video: Red screen with Australia Post logo, transitions to split screen with Australian Red Cross on white background.
Being as prepared as possible can make an emergency less stressful, give more control and reduce the impact on you and your family. Here are some ways that can help you prepare:
It’s important for communities to be able to access services and support when a disaster happens. We’re leading the way by:
Our people are at the frontline. They see and hear the impacts of disaster firsthand and want to help.
We’re proud to partner with the Australian Red Cross and, during times of disaster, accept over-the-counter donations at participating Post Offices.
These donations help Australian Red Cross to prepare people for emergencies, provide comfort and care during disasters, and support their recovery afterwards.
Your donation to Australian Red Cross Disaster Response and Recovery work will assist Australian Red Cross teams provide relief and recovery assistance to local communities when emergency strikes.1
Help prepare your business with our disaster readiness guide, developed with Australian Red Cross.
Our people, Glyn and Matthew, know firsthand the impact disaster can have.
Having recently experienced the flooding in Lismore NSW they know recovery takes time and community spirit.
We know from our partner, Australian Red Cross, that being prepared can make a huge difference to the ability to cope with a disaster.
Australian Red Cross Recovery Officer and Woodburn NSW local, James Wallace, shares his top three tips.
We’re sharing the stories that bring our community partnerships and programs to life.
1 When you make a donation to Australian Red Cross Society (ABN 50 169 561 394) 23-47 Villiers Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051 redcross.org.au) at participating Australia Post outlets (Australian Postal Corporation (ABN 28 864 970 579) 111 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000 auspost.com.au), 100% of your donation is received by Red Cross' Australian Emergency Fund to help people during disasters and other emergencies in Australia. It enables Red Cross to prepare people, provide comfort and care during a disaster or emergency, and support recovery.
