While most of the affected regions have received rain over December, the effects will be short-term and even with good follow-up rainfall, it will take a good twelve months for farming regions to regain productivity.

For over 100 years Lions has been proud to roll up their sleeves, and help those in need and the organisation is well aware that rural Australian families have been impacted severely by the drought. Locally, the Lions Clubs of Australia District N2 has a geographic footprint that covers all Local Government Areas (LGAs) east of, and including Snowy Valleys, Yass Valley, and Upper Lachlan, up to Holroyd, Liverpool, Macarthur and Wollongong and everything in between, including the Australian Capital Territory.

The Farming Families Drought Relief Project is a project consistent with the Lions Clubs International Purposes with its mission of “assisting families with the necessities to live with pride and dignity, as they deserve”.

The Lions Club understands that commerce and industry are struggling in towns ravaged by drought and are also of the view that it is incumbent on them to support these families too.

It is with these two things in mind that the project will be administered by providing gift cards, vouchers, or cash cards to identified farming families to purchase necessities at their local corner stores, grocers, or retailers.

Initial funds were granted by the Australian Lions Foundation National Drought Relief Appeal; additional funds have been provided through donations and support from Lions Clubs and members within the N2 District.

Families eligible to apply for assistance are in the following categories:

• A single income farming-dependent family; or

• Families of farming contractors (farm-hands on single income); and

• Be within the geographical region of the Lions Clubs International District 201N2; and

• Be within a geographical region in “intense drought” or “drought” as per the NSW Department of Primary Industries Combined Drought Indicator.

Grant assistance in voucher form will be provided to purchase essential groceries at local merchants, petrol at nearest provider, also payment on production of invoice for overdue essential accounts such as gas, electricity and phone for residence only.

Other provisions of assistance to help may include:

• Dental/medical emergency services (gap payments considered)

• Pharmacy payments for prescription medication

• School uniform/footwear expenses, stationary expenses.

• Family pet food and essential medication.

• Family haircuts.

New South Wales received the eighth-lowest rainfall from January to November in 2018 since 1900, according to BOM. It was also the warmest period on record for the state.

BOM predicts that we'll continue to experience drier and warmer than average days between January and March, adding pressure to farmers already doing it tough in eastern Australia.