Applications for the grants below are now open until 30 June 2020.

• Bereavement payment - $20,000
• Emergency Grant - up to $20,000
• Primary Residence Repair Grant - $5,000
• Injury Grant - $7,500

For more information, including eligibility requirements and how to apply, have a look at the latest Red Cross Financial Assistance Factsheet.

While we can’t promote visiting our region, there are many ways you can adapt your business to sell online, or over the phone, to locals and our Sydney, Canberra and National markets.

Please submit details of the products you have available for sale online so the Shoalhaven Tourism team can promote you in their upcoming campaign.

Now is a great time to start thinking of new ways to promote and sell your products. Think gift ideas for online sales via post, home delivery, take-away, vouchers, facebook live tours of your store and products, video link-ups with customers with virtual tasting, cooking, crafting experiences to stay engaged and capture some of the online market.

Many people are looking for gift ideas for Mothers’ Day, birthdays, or just treats for themselves because they have postponed holiday plans. Over the coming weeks, Shoalhaven Tourism will be rolling out campaign activities, including featured-business social posts on @visitshoalhaven publicity and advertising your products with the support of Destination NSW and Tourism Australia.

Have a look at the Operator Opportunities one-pager to guide you through this time and help you focus on what you can do, and how you can use this time to not only promote your products, but keep up to date on Government links for COVID-19 information. It is also a great time to work on your marketing, update your listings (especially ATDW so you can be featured on shoalhaven.com) and refine your offerings so we are ready to hit the market when the coast is clear for travel.

As part of the Shoalhaven Local Government Area Recovery Action Plan, Shoalhaven Tourism and Economic Development have put together a series of Free Social Media Workshops to help your business engage your customers.

Delivered online these 1 hour workshops cover everything from Facebook, Instagram and using Zoom to tips and tricks to get the right messaging for your business to the right people.

To find out more and to book a session visit Social Media Marketing Workshops.

The NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry is holding a virtual community meeting for the Shoalhaven and surrounds on Friday 1 May at 5.30pm. Register online.

The Inquiry has also extended the deadline for submissions to Friday 22 May 2020. To make a submission visit the NSW Government website.

The Inquiry is looking at causes of, preparation and responses to the bushfires. The Inquiry’s Terms of Reference is available on the NSW Government website.

Laing O'Rourke's bushfire clean-up program is ramping up, with up to 120 clean-up crews working across over 200 different locations across the State this month.

Works increased over recent weeks as crews bedded down across the State, clearing properties in as little as two days. In some locations, this has meant communities are already beginning to rebuild after their properties have been cleared.

While COVID-19 introduced a new challenge to bushfire recovery, the project remains on track and Laing O'Rourke is determined to maintain momentum and keep delivering tangible help on the ground.

For more information, including the full list of clean-up locations in the coming weeks, and how to register, visit the NSW Bushfire Clean-up Information Hub website.

The weekly Recovery Newsletter was developed to keep the community up-to-date on the important work the Recovery Action Team are undertaking. To view the latest issue visit Recovery Newsletter - 23 April 2020.

The Bushfire National Recovery Agency's fortnightly newsletter is avaiable for subscription.

Subscribing gives you the latest updates on the Agency's bushfire recovery efforts, straight to your inbox.

You’ll receive news, videos, feature stories from the frontline, facts and figures, community profiles, and more.

Subscribe online by simply entering your email address on the National Bushfire Recovery Recovery Newsletter website. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Alternatively, each eddition is saved in the 'Document Library' on this webpage.

The weekly Recovery Newsletter was developed to keep the community up-to-date on the important work the Recovery Action Team are undertaking. To view the latest issue visit Recovery Newsletter - 16 April 2020.

Children and young people experience disasters differently and many parents and carers worry about how to support them as they recover.

Psychologist Lyn Page is joining Red Cross for three webinars to talk about how you can support children and young people as we recover from the bushfires while also responding to COVID-19.

Join the webinar, online via Zoom, to Lyn discuss how you can support the children and young people in your life and answer some of your questions.

Please register online by clicking on your preferred webinar time of:

20th April 2020 9:30 to 11:30am
21st April 2020 12:30 to 2:30pm
22nd April 2020 6:30 to 8:30pm.

Please send your questions for Lyn through to recovery@redcross.org.au.