The Rapid Relief Team (RRT) have been working fervently to support those in crisis. From March this year, RRT has delivered over 7,000 Food Boxes to homes right around Australia.

Launched in 2019, RRT’s Food Box initiative was designed to support families and individuals impacted by domestic violence, and people in crisis. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, RRT has amalgamated its initiative to meet the need at hand. The Food Boxes provide emergency food supplies to local communities in need.
The Food Box initiative was extended to vulnerable individuals and families including those in self-isolation, financially impacted by the lockdowns or unemployed, the elderly or people living with health impairments who are at high risk of contracting the virus or those struggling to access basic food supplies.
Due to the safety concerns around COVID-19, RRT has also developed an innovative ‘uber-style’ app, which enables faster and safer delivery of the Food Boxes with this use of technology.

RRTs Operations Manager, Dan Alderton, said that the ripple effects of COVID-19 continue to be devastating – “we have seen more families in crisis due to financial pressures and social isolation than ever before,”

“We saw the need and got to work immediately to get Food Boxes out to our local communities who needed the extra support.

“Every single one of the 7,460 Food Boxes has been packed and safely hand-delivered by an RRT volunteer – it’s quite remarkable,” Mr Alderton said.

As of today, RRT’s Food Box initiative has delivered 2,366 boxes in Victoria, 4,137 boxes in NSW, 748 boxes in Queensland, and 209 in Tasmania this year. Many of these initiatives were run in partnership with local councils and welfare support groups including the Blue Mountains City Council, Burnie City Council and Community Support Frankston, as well as Service NSW and the Queensland Government.
We are forever grateful to all our volunteers and sponsors. We hope the clouds clear soon, but in the meantime, we remain on standby to provide support and hope to those in need.

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