Emergency response programs

Ukraine humanitarian crisis

Responding to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and surrounding countries, the Foundation committed €1 million to support emergency response and ongoing aid.

Nearly two-thirds of Ukraine’s children are now displaced. For those crossing the border to safety, many find sanctuary within a Blue Dot Hub – safe spaces along migration routes for children and families.

Blue Dot Hubs provide critical information, emergency supplies, medical and psychological first aid, logistics and supplies for the onward journey, child-friendly spaces and activities, and more. The Foundation partnered with UNICEF to support the initial set-up and running costs of a Blue Dot Hub.

As it became obvious that rapid medical relief was required on the ground, the Goodman Foundation supported Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel) to send medicine and medical equipment to hospitals in Ukraine with the assistance of local non-government organisations (NGOs).

The impact of this humanitarian crisis will be felt for some time. The Foundation continues to provide much needed humanitarian support with tangible and sustainable assistance for the people of Ukraine, now and into the future. 

Natural disaster relief

As climate change takes hold, major natural disasters are impacting communities around the world. The Foundation supports communities respond to, and recover from, disasters.

The 2019/20 bushfires in Australia left a devastating imprint on all of us. As part of a $6.5 million pledge to support Australian communities, the Goodman Foundation worked with the NSW Rural Firefighting Service addressing a need to provide a state-of-the art specialised helicopter to combat fires and work in flood zones.  

The Foundation has also provided disaster relief in Europe and Australia in response to major floods. The Red Cross stepped in to respond to floods in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany in 2021 with support from the Foundation.  

When floods once again impacted Australia, the helicopter, donated to the NSW Rural Fire Service by the Foundation in 2021, had its first deployment helping local authorities in the State’s west after flooding in Forbes. Between coming into service in October 2021 and September 2022, the helicopter has flown over 190 hours participating in over 130 operations and continues to support flood relief.

Goodman took further action when floods in Queensland, New South Wales and Central Australia left thousands without housing, income or clothing. We turned to our partners and their networks, asking how we could best help them provide the emergency response needed on the ground.

One of these partners, Good360 Australia, has been working hard throughout the Australian floods. Good360 connects the right goods to the right people at the right time during all stages of a disaster, supporting affected communities with the essential items they need. Our funding in previous years helped Good360 establish disaster recovery capabilities.