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Ayoyo, a complaints volunteer in her community in southwestern Ethiopia. Photo: Zacharias Abubeker/Caritas Australia.

Support Emergencies

Donate to help vulnerable affected by natural disasters, conflict and displacement.

When a disaster strikes, the most vulnerable and marginalised are often hit the hardest. Natural disasters and emergencies can devastate communities, and responding rapidly to a crisis is often a matter of life and death. This lifesaving work can only happen with your support. 

How do we respond during humanitarian emergencies?

We coordinate with the international Caritas network and our partners on the ground to make sure that the most vulnerable and most impacted are not left behind. We support our partners to distribute food, clean water, shelter, hygiene kits and cash assistance to families that have lost their homes or livelihoods. We share our resources, technical expertise and information with our partners, and ensure that communities receive the long-term support they need to recover and build back stronger after a disaster. 

Where does Caritas Australia respond to humanitarian disasters?

We respond to humanitarian disasters across the world, with a particular focus on natural disasters in Asia and the Pacific, helping communities to develop evacuation plans and plan for crises. For communities impacted by long-term disasters like drought and famine, we work alongside communities to find ways of farming and generating income that will withstand a changing climate. This helps communities to reduce their risk of devastation following disasters, and to strengthen their resilience and coping mechanisms for the next disaster. 

What is the Church Agencies Network Disaster Operations (CAN DO) consortium?

Caritas Australia is a member of the Church Agencies Network Disaster Operations (CAN DO) consortium, a group of eight Australia-based humanitarian church agencies that work together to build the resilience of communities, strengthen the capacity of local partners, and enhance our ability as agencies to respond to disasters, especially in the Pacific. 

The members of the CAN DO consortium are Caritas Australia, the Australian Lutheran World Service, Act for Peace, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency Australia, Anglican Board of Mission, Anglican Overseas Aid, Transform Aid International (TAI) and UnitingWorld.

What is the Emergency Action Alliance?


Caritas Australia is a founding member of the Emergency Action Alliance. By combining our capacity with 15 other leading humanitarian organisations we can turn the care and passion of our supporters into a targeted response to international emergencies. This allows us to help more people in their greatest moment of need.