Community Recovery Hub Update

Emergency Hardship Assistance Grants Available Until Friday 

Residents of the Hinchinbrook Shire Council area who have been affected by flooding are advised that there is still time to apply for financial assistance.

Applications for the joint Commonwealth and State government – funded Emergency Hardship Assistance Grants will be accepted up until midnight on Friday 23 March.

Essential Household Contents Grants and Structural Assistance Grants, which are income tested, will continue to be available to eligible residents in affected areas who are not insured and have experienced loss of essential household contents or damage to their principle place of residence following this disaster.

Mayor Ramon Jayo said ‘If you have been impacted by the flood and need to apply for an Emergency Hardship Assistance Grant please ensure you do so before midnight Friday. Residents will not be able to apply for these grants after this time’.

For more information or to apply for grants, download the Self Recovery app, go to the Community Recovery online portal at www.communityrecovery.qld.gov.au or call the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349.

Community Recovery Hub To Transition To A Community Recovery Referral And Information Centre

A Community Recovery Referral and Information Centre (CRRIC) will be set up in place of the current Community Recovery Hub at 74 Townsville Road Ingham.

What is a Community Recovery Referral and Information Centre?

A Community Recovery Referral and Information Centre (CRRIC) primarily provides information, personal support and either refers or links disaster affected individuals and families to available services and supports. The key difference is that the immediate financial assistance measures are no longer transacted within the centre, and limited other financial assistance occurs within the centre as the means tested grants require a home visit to assess and validate claims.

Examples of assistance that may be available in the CRRIC include:

• Information and referral (e.g. welfare referrals, other local services, what assistance is available)
• Disaster-specific advice, (e.g. safe clean up, managing health concerns; how to cope and insurance advice).
• Emotional support (e.g. personal support, counselling and mental health services)
• Resources to assist vulnerable individuals and groups (e.g. young children and adolescents, domestic and family violence).

The CCRIC will be open to the public from 8.30am – 4:30pm daily including the weekend, until Thursday 29 March 2018 and will be closed over Easter. Post Easter, the CRRIC will operate on week days only.  

For more information regarding assistance available to those who have been impacted by the flood please visit the Community Recovery online portal www.communityrecovery.qld.gov.au or call the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349.