Reece Foundation helping Lismore get back on track
The Reece Foundation is putting resources together to help flood-affected residents in northern New South Wales. The flood disaster recovery efforts have been focussed on Lismore and driven by Resilient Lismore.
In early 2022, floods inundated Lismore and the rest of the Northern Rivers. This disastrous weather event destroyed thousands of homes across the region, leaving the residents homeless, displaced or living in poor conditions.
The disaster recovery efforts were an enormous task and the Reece Foundation partnered with Resilient Lismore to connect essential plumbing services to those who were displaced or vulnerable because of the floods, and to help them get safely back into their homes.
This project has two phases:
Phase One: Five amazing tradies helped them scope the work required to get people back into their homes, and work with Reece to create material lists and quotes.
Phase Two: The Foundation is calling for 10 tradies to deliver restore essential services to up to 50 homes, commencing late January 2023.
If you’re a licensed plumber who wants to use your skills to make a difference and have a life-changing experience, you can express your interest on their Get Involved page.
The Reece Foundation
Clean water is fundamental for quality of life, and trades play a vital role in helping communities access this precious resource. Together with sanitation, it has a positive ripple effect – children can go to school with access to toilets and women are empowered to access an education. That’s why Reece created the independent charity: the Reece Foundation.
Get involved: The Foundation works as a team and knows it cannot solve this problem alone. If you have a project idea that will improve water and sanitation for a community, the Foundation wants to hear from you.
Volunteer: Tradespeople have unique skills that can change lives. The Foundation connects tradies who want to give back to projects that use those skills to amplify the impact a project can have. If you sign up to their mailing list you can be contacted with opportunities.
The Reece Foundation Grant supports projects both internationally and locally. It started in 2016 after customers were coming to Reece with ideas to help local and overseas communities. It was a way to provide funding and materials for these projects. Each year, the Grant had more applications and interest from tradies. It soon became clear the Reece Grant needed to evolve into something bigger.
2016: Reece Grant is established to support healthier, brighter futures for the next generation, in Australia and abroad.
2017: Jack Timmins completes a project in Indonesia that helps more than 700 community members gain access to water through a rain water catchment and filtration system. The Reece Grant supports six projects.
2018: Adrian Lockley travels to Haiti to build rainwater tanks and capture water around a school. The Reece Grant expands to support 21 projects.
2019: John McComb installs flushing toilet suites, basins and taps to a school in Uganda to help prevent diseases. The Grant is supporting 29 projects.
2020: Following Australia’s devastating bushfire season, the Reece Grant dedicates all fundraising support to 24 local communities that needed to rebuild.
2021: Reece Group launches the Reece Foundation. With its own revenue stream and resources, the Reece Foundation supercharges the work done with the Reece Grant, connecting more communities and partners with the invaluable skills of volunteer tradies.
