In February, communities across Victoria were devastated by the most severe bushfires the country has ever seen. Many Coles team members were personally affected, either fighting fires as part of the Country Fire Authority, or having lost property or loved ones.
Coles was quick to respond, marshalling resources to provide much needed support on the ground, including food and water for fire fighters and affected community members, as well as refrigeration and car park space for emergency evacuation points.
Within a day, we had begun taking customer donations through our registers. As the extent of the tragedy unfolded, Coles was quick to pledge all trading profits from Coles, BiLo, Pick n Pay and coles.com.au on Friday 13 February to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal.
Our Healesville Store Manager, Jerome Duncan, whose store was at one point surrounded by the devastating bushfires, was the face of Coles throughout the appeal, to raise awareness and encourage Australians to shop at Coles on Bushfire Appeal Day.
Teams at the Tooronga Store Support Office also volunteered their time to help the Salvation Army to sort and pack product donations.
The day was a great success – one of the busiest in Coles history – and we were able to donate $4.87 million of profit to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal. This, combined with product donations valued at $260,000 and $4.7 million in customer and team member donations, brought Coles’ contribution to bushfire victims to just under $10 million - a fantastic result!
Ian McLeod and Jerome Duncan presented the cheque for $9.9 million to Australian Red Cross CEO Robert Tickner at a special event held in April at Tooronga. Thank you to everyone who played a part!