Local Government NSW (LGNSW) welcomes the NSW Government's commissioning of an online service – GIVIT - to coordinate the donation of much-needed goods and services for bushfire-affected communities, on behalf of all local councils.
GIVIT is a national donation management platform and is a not-for-profit organisation. The free service is now available to the state's 128 local councils. It is intended that councils will sign up and promote it to their communities.
LGNSW President Cr Linda Scott said GIVIT would help councils make the most of the community spirit and generosity being shown to those impacted by bushfires, by ensuring the right goods and services were getting to where they were needed, at the right time.
"GIVIT is a great example of joint local and State government efforts to minimise the financial and administrative burden placed on councils, recovery agencies, and charities," she said.
"LGNSW and the local government sector are doing all we can to support bushfire-affected councils that are grappling with competing demands as they seek to help their communities to defend against fire threat and to clean up and recover."
"Affected councils and communities have been inundated with donations of cash, goods and services.
"This kindness has created some logistical challenges, including the need for physical storage, the sorting of donations, and the potential dilemma of having to dispose of unneeded goods.
"We're very glad to see councils and charities are now being supported with the management of logistics, so storing, transporting, sorting and matching these donations to those in need is much easier."
GIVIT operates as a virtual warehouse that captures public and corporate pledges of assistance online. It then works with councils, charities, and community groups to match a donation to a recipient in need of that specific item or service. It also links residents seeking assistance to trusted local support services via an online hub.
All monetary donations received by GIVIT are used to buy essential items from local businesses to help generate local economic recovery.
