Climate for Change's response to coronavirus and how we can support the climate movement and one another over the coming weeks and months.
Dear friends,
Like climate change, coronavirus is asking for decisive action from our Governments and requiring changes to the way we behave.
We’re very lucky to be able to work from home, so starting this week, our staff and core volunteers are doing our bit to slow the spread of infection by working remotely until further notice.
The virus will unfortunately also affect many of our plans for this year, including the art auction on 28th May 2020. If you were planning to fill in the art submission form, we’d still love to hear from you, however we decided to postpone the event to late 2020 or early 2021.
Thank you so much to everyone - all the artists, volunteers, sponsors and other supporters - who have offered to contribute to the event so far with such enthusiasm. We hope we can work with you again to make the auction a success once we can host it.
As the core of our work focuses on connecting with one another in person, coronavirus will also have implications for our Climate Conversations program. However, we’re choosing to see this as an opportunity to adapt our Conversation programs to an online format using video conferencing. Some of our Facilitators have in fact done this in the past, so we’re looking forward to seeing what we can learn and create from these times.
Our trainings and MP Engagement Groups are also moving online, so please don’t stop holding our elected representatives to account and calling for stronger climate action at this time. In fact, just yesterday, Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews announced the Victorian government is lifting the moratorium on onshore gas. Friends of the Earth is holding a rally you can join here.
We also acknowledge that the climate crisis remains the most important issue facing our global community and that the need for meaningful social connection is especially important during a period of social distancing.
Our activities are an ideal way to bring people together, even if this needs to occur in a virtual space. We will do our best to create new, creative ways for you and our supporters to connect with one another and take climate action online in the coming weeks and months.
However, this will be a critical and challenging time for us and the not-for-profit and climate sectors. As we will have to postpone many of our fundraising activities, your support will be needed more than ever in these difficult times.
We ask you to consider making a monthly donation to help us through those challenging months ahead as even though some of our fundraising will have to be postponed, our work will not stop.
Our biggest challenge right now is to make sure that the progress we and the rest of the climate movement created does not disappear. We need to keep the momentum up and keep inspiring people to stay engaged, talk to their friends and family and take climate action together.
Your support for the climate movement is now important more than ever. If you can, we ask you to please consider making a monthly donation so that we can continue supporting and empowering more people to take meaningful climate action online in the upcoming months.
Thank you so much for supporting us in these trying times. We will work tirelessly to make sure we create opportunities for you and our supporters to keep climate action on the agenda, even through remote and online actions.
In the meantime, please make sure you follow all recommendations from the World Health Organisation, including social distancing, practicing good hygiene and washing hands frequently. We’re all in this together and need to look out for each other, now more than ever.
Stay safe,
Katerina