Immediate financial assistance…
Civil Defence payments from Work and Income are available for all people in affected areas; no previous interaction with WINZ is required. These can help with accommodation, food, bedding, clothing and other urgent costs, and are available to cover lost income if you can’t get to work, your workplace is closed, or you need to stay away from your normal home so you’re too far away to get to work.
Call 0800 400 100 between 7am-5pm to apply. Hawke’s Bay and East Coast residents with a WINZ client number can also apply online here.
More information here.
Government recovery funds…
The Government is providing $25 million for farmers and growers to undertake urgent work, including fencing, and clearing silt to save trees and vines. The grants are to help farmers and growers get back on their feet as quickly as possible. They include:
Applicants need to fill in a form (download here) and email it to funding@mpi.govt.nz.
View and download the MPI Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery Grants Fact Sheet here.
Manpower, excavation, volunteers…
Register for assistance from the Farmy Army.
In Hawke’s Bay, submit a request to Hawke’s Bay Helping.
Farmers and growers are also encouraged to contact their respective industry bodies for support: Beef and Lamb NZ, DairyNZ, Horticulture NZ are all coordinating resources in response.
Mental health support…
If you need to talk to someone, the Rural Support Trust is available on 0800 787 254 or visit www.rural-support.org.nz. Alternatively you can free call or text 1737 any time.
Farmlands have opened their stores in Hastings and Gisborne as community hubs, with everyone welcome for free wifi, free food, horticulture & agronomy advice, and most importantly a chat, daily 10am-2pm, more information here.
Stock feed or grazing…
MPI has reactivated the National Feed Coordination Service to support farmers sourcing feed, prioritising areas affected by recent flooding (and drought conditions in the South). The service is essentially a feed matching service connecting willing buyers and willing sellers – like a dating service, but for feed. Note that the service does not guarantee or organise transport. Registration is via a simple online form – Apply here for grazing needed. For feed needed, apply here.
