FLOOD RECOVERY

Community is everything; and celebrating community is a vital tool for support and recovery during such turbulent times; which is why we are honoured to support both The Koori Mail Newspaper and Community Herbal Care on their mission to care for, strengthen and rebuild the Northern Rivers. With all your love and support, together, we have been able to donate over 1000 self care packages filled with natural soaps and serums to help heal our friends who need it most. We’re also excited to share that through our bottle give back program, this month we have been able to donate $1500 to the Koori Mail. 

THE KOORI MAIL

When the government failed, community prevailed, the beautiful people at The Koori Mail from the Bundjalung community have been on the ground everyday, coordinating the clean up and community support for the flood affected victims and indigenous communities.

The 100% Aboriginal owned newspaper set up their recovery efforts in Lismore, NSW, and have been on the forefront of the flood relief mission. Two months on, and they’re still providing relief to the thousands and have raised over $1m. With an emphasis on ensuring people are not only surviving through this challenge, but also strengthening as a community, the Koori Mail has focused on the whole well being of the people with their holistic approach to recovery. 

COMMUNITY HERBAL CARE

One extraordinary initiative for flood recovery is Community Herbal Care; a free roaming herbal and naturopathic dispensary for the Northern Rivers. Erin Lovell Verinder, responded to the devastation by assembling a team of qualified naturopaths and herbalists to reach vulnerable people in need. Erin’s incredibly selfless team are able to continue treating the community thanks to many herbal product donations from brands as well as their Go Fund Me, which has raised nearly $8k.

Unfortunately, those affected by the floods still have a long road ahead of them. The Koori Mail and Community Herbal Care are accepting donations through their Go Fund Me pages. By donating directly to these organisations, you can be rest assured they will continue to care for and rebuild the Northern Rivers.

GIVEBACK PROGRAM

Through our $1 per bottle giveback program we have been able to donate to a range of organisations and causes to ensure our impact is holistic and widespread. This also ensures we can be responsive to the current matters of the world and help those who need it most. Which is why we have decided to continue our focus for the giveback program for the next month on the flood relief for the Northern Rivers. 

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 

Iva Jericevic

Using many different mediums to express herself through art, Iva Jericevic (@creativaty) explains where she drew her inspiration from to create the linoleum carving, ‘Community is Everything’.

“I based the design on these lovely events called “Disco Soup” that my friends and I would organise in Scotland - we would visit farms and collect all the veggies they had in excess, and we’d go to bakeries and collect all the day-old bread. On the day we’d cook up a HUGE pot of soup over a fire with volunteers and give it out for free to everyone who came by while musicians played.

We didn’t have any money, but we didn’t need it! Just everyone’s effort and company. Everything was saved from being wasted, and everything else found or borrowed, and everyone could play a part.

So what I tried to encapsulate with my illustration is the feeling I would get when we all came together as a community to create, dance, play, and share with one another.

What community means to me, is when our hearts are truly full, when we’re full of joy and spirit from connecting with one another. That’s why all the figures have big hearts right in their centres.”