We are excited to announce that once again Stonegate Industries are launching a campaign to help drought-affected farmers and rural communities across Queensland and New South Wales. You may recall that previously when we have support, we donated hay bales to those in need.
We are drawn into the devastating affects of drought first-hand as many of our customers come from the very regions that are suffering. Many of them share their stories and tell us what they are going through.
For many out there, the toll is significant, not only from a financial standpoint, but also from a family and mental health perspective; with many feeling like they should just give up. We feel that we can’t just stand by and do nothing. We feel businesses doing well out there have an obligation to give back to community and help make a positive impact; which is why we have decided to once again help where we can.
Project 500k
We introduce you, our customers, to our newest community campaign; the Project 500k. We are pledging to donate 500,000 litres of water to those drought affected across Queensland and New South Wales and we’re calling on our customers, commercial business clients and the general public to pitch in and help.
How it will work
Super simple really. Throughout the months of October, November and December, Stonegate Industries will donate 1,000 litres of water for every Stonegate Industries product purchased, including trailers, campers, motorbikes and mobility scooters. In addition, we will collect donations from customers wishing to assist in helping us reach our goal of donating 500,000 litres.
So, how can you help
There are a number of ways you can assist us with Project 500k.
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Purchase a trailer, Teardrop camper, motorbike or mobility scooter during the months of October, November and December.
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Place your loose change (or notes) in the donation tins in-store at Stonegate Industries HQ
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Click the Rural Aid link on this page to donate RIGHT NOW
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Spread the word. Share Project 500k with your friends and family. Share it on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more. Together, we can achieve and make a positive impact on drought affected farmers and rural communities across Queensland and New South Wales. To make it easier, we have provided some social media posts and resources for you to share.
Read More
Who we are partnering with
To assist us in the collecting of donations and the anticipated distribution of water to those in need, we are partnering with Rural Aid; one of the largest rural charities in Australia. They helped us provide support to farmers and rural communities perviously when we donated hay bales. It only seemed natural to us that we partner with them again as we establish our newest campaign – Project 500k.
Why this is important
Rather than tell you, we’ll show you. Have a look at the map of Australia below. As of August 2019, much of our beautiful country is drought stricken, causing widespread devastation for farmers and rural communities.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, “rainfall deficiencies have affected most of the New South Wales, Queensland and South Australian parts of the Murray–Darling Basin since the start of 2017.”
The Climate Council Of Australia has found that fronts from the Southern Ocean, which usually bring rain during winter and spring, have shifted southwards with a warming climate, resulting in declining rainfall in southwest and southeast Australia; consequently increasing the risk of drought conditions in these regions.
Not only has the drought affected livestock and crop production, but has also affected the mental health of people in this areas; especially with rural males aged between 30 and 49. As the severity of drought increases, so too has the relative risk of suicide, which has been noted by the Climate Council of Australia can increase by up to 15 percent for rural males aged 30-49.
The situation is significant and help is needed for these drought-stricken regions. Water is in extreme short-supply; with some saying that parts of regional NSW could run out of water as early as November. According to projections WaterNSW, without significant rainfall, likely towns to lose water supply include Dubbo, Cobar, Nyngan and Narromine.
What farmers are saying
”The general sentiment is that the situation is bleak. Many farmers are suffering; be it from financial hardship, loss of livestock, lack of water, filtering crops or moderate to severe mental illness.
This is the longest and the driest it’s been since I can remember and I’ve been here for my whole life” “It affects your mental thinking. You start to give up hope
Mr Saul Said
”It’s desperate. We’ve never seen this before. There is no profit, whatever is sold goes straight to paying bills
Ms Clarke Said
