Only days after the OMG Decadent Donuts Flagship store in Ascot, Brisbane was inundated with about a metre of storm water, the shop was up and running and giving away FREE donuts in exchange for donations to charity Orange Sky Australia, with a lofty goal to raise $10000.
Although enduring professional and personal pain (our home was also flooded), we decided to give away donuts to anyone who donates to local charity, Orange Sky at our Ascot shop or online here (https://give.orangesky.org.au/…/omg–decadent-donuts…)
OMG! Decadent Donuts is a licensed business with 65 licensees around Australia – licensees (who can currently operate) are also taking up the baton and are now also fundraising for Orange Sky.
This is the second time OMG Decadent Donuts co-owner David Moore has had a business flood, he was the business owner of the award-winning restaurant business “Drift” which was lost in spectacular fashion during the 2011 flood.
David went on to create and establish OMG! Decadent Donuts making and selling fresh hot donuts that are vegan and free-from most allergens. Our flag-ship store is in Ascot and it was this store that fell victim to the flood last weekend with David and two staff members trapped inside. Fortunately, this time around the business could be saved and, after only a week of scrubbing, cleaning and disinfecting – was up and running.
“When we were looking for a site for our OMG Donut flagship store, we deliberately stayed well away from the river, never did we imagine we’d be flooded where we are in Ascot” David said.
“We’re doing this fundraising as a way of giving back to community, so many people have been impacted so dreadfully, and so many offered to help us to clean up both at the business and at my co-directors home.”
The experience of the 2011 flood was traumatic and this current flood has reinforced just how much we all need to live with a sense of community and help each other, which is what impresses us about Orange Sky, they help others, day in day out. We also know from first hand experience that what we crave after a day of filth in post flood clean up, is a shower and clean clothes, and that’s what Orange Sky can provide with their mobile vans”.
Each week, all over Australia, thousands of volunteers help Orange Sky to positively connect communities by supporting people experiencing homelessness or doing it tough with free laundry and shower services, and more importantly genuine, non-judgmental conversation and connection. During times of crises, such as these current floods, Orange Sky mobilise any available laundry and shower vans to provide free mobile laundry services and hot showers for those impacted.
This week Orange Sky have spent hours and hours washing clothes for flood victims across Brisbane, Ipswich, Gympie, Northern NSW including Lismore, Ballina. Since deploying their laundry fleet last Monday, Orange Sky have completed over 1200* loads of laundry this week alone. (*according to their website and as at 8 March).
“I’ve heard so many reports of people escaping with only the clothes they were wearing. I can’t imagine how much a warm shower and clean clothes means to someone in those circumstances” said David.
“We started collecting donations last Sunday and by Tuesday had already raised just over $2000. I’ve had more than one teary moment when little kids came in to the shop with the content of their piggy banks to drop into our Orange Sky collection bin. They got more than one free OMG! Donut I can tell you.”
For many households, washing machines are located on the lower levels of their homes, and being electrical, they don’t like water, so salvageable items such as clothing, towels, linen or a child’s favourite teddy bear have been unable to be washed. Orange Sky has been assisting so many people in washing and drying their clothing and washable possessions, completely free of charge from their iconic bright orange mobile vans.
It has also been a great pleasure to deliver our donuts to people who have been impacted by the flood, particularly those with dietary requirements, as OMG! Decadent Donuts are free from most allergens.
Donations to the OMG Decadent Donuts fund raiser can be made in store at OMG Decadent Donuts Ascot – 31 Alexandra Road, Ascot or online here: https://give.orangesky.org.au/…/omg–decadent-donuts…
