While the recent rain and cooler conditions has put a shade of green on some of the landscape the drought is far from over, with local families "still in desperate need of support."
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Charity organisation Givit is urging Australians not to forget about the thousands of people "doing it tough", and also to put some thought into exactly how, and who, they are helping.
Official NSW Government partner Givit is urging people to consider donating cash rather than goods, as the benefits of injecting cash into a community reach a lot more people than food, clothing or even fodder according to Givit drought manager Scott Barrett.
"Sending in carloads of unsolicited food hampers and other items to drought-stricken towns is well meaning but it's not the help that's needed," he said.
"A donation to GIVIT's NSW Drought Appeal allows us to buy vital, specifically requested items, within the local communities to also support struggling small businesses in those towns.''
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The cash donations will be used on local vouchers for food items, water, clothing, fuel, rural supplies, school uniforms, tractor tyres, whitegoods, and items to keep sports and social programs afloat within communities.
Givit works with charities on the ground, big and small, to provide what communities need, and have so far coordinated the delivery of more than 23,000 vital items for drought relief since August last year.
Founder and Director Juliette Wright said Givit is empowering people in drought-affected communities by providing exactly what they need.
"Making a donation for a gift card to be spent locally within a struggling community will have far more impact on someone in need, and on a local business, than a load of unwanted items being delivered to a struggling town,'' she said.
"Often these items are quite unexpected - it could be a set of tyres for a ute, a replacement hot water system, or even essential school items.''
The latest NSW Combined Drought Indicator suggests that 98.6 per cent of the state remains in the grip of drought, and unfortunately there is little reprieve in sight.
Through the Givit website people can not only make cash donations, but can also pledge to provide specific items or objects.
