Serving Our People Launches Official Aviation Arm Through Partnership With Southport Flying Club

WORDS: Madison Cooper PHOTOGRAPHY Supplied

Serving Our People has officially unveiled its new aviation arm through a pioneering partnership with the Southport Flying Club, which will see the delivery of essential goods in the face of disaster recovery using a network of private aircraft and their pilots.

Armed with a new aviation capacity through Southport Flying Club, Serving Our People can now rapidly mobilise air support during disasters or times of need, delivering food and other critical supplies to affected communities.

Serving Our People’s aviation arm is a significant advancement in the organisations philanthropic mission, giving the charity access to Southport Flying Club’s fleet of 150 aircraft and their pilots, including helicopters, propelling its ability to reach remote or disaster-stricken locations quickly.

Val Malinovskiy, Vice President of Serving Our People NSW, emphasised the significance of the charity’s aviation capability, which gives Serving Our People the immediate ability to mobilise across states: “This collaboration will revolutionise our ability to respond swiftly to crises. Air support means we can bypass damaged roads, the time it takes to mobilise ground crews, and reach isolated communities faster than ever before.”

Craig Hobart, President of Southport Flying Club, says, “Our pilots and aircraft are ready to support this worthy charity by fast-tracking their mission to reach people in need. Our club and its members are proud to put our skills and resources to use.”

Hobart, a pilot for Angel Flight for the last 18 years, said the Southport Flying Club approached Serving Our People to offer logistical support, “Our club has a proud history of supporting charity organisations in their important work to reach rural and regional communities. Once a mission comes in, a call out is sent to our membership of pilots who are only too happy to lend their skill, aircraft and expertise to help.”

The Southport Flying Club facilitated three deliveries of food to Northern NSW for Serving Our People last month, flying two aircraft and food packages weighing 350 kilograms into Lismore and Casino for people still struggling to find their feet after the mass flooding event of 2022.

Val says many communities, like those in Northern NSW, face years of struggle after natural disasters. When other charity and government assistance moves on – Serving Our People can maintain a regular system of support through air delivery.

“Serving Our People is always looking for ways to reach more people and offer a sophisticated and reliable level of support. We’re not just here to support phase one of recovery, Serving Our People provides ongoing assistance and much needed supplies for as long as people and communities need it.”

Yas Matbouly, President and Founder of Serving Our People, says the charity’s response time and ability to cover more ground is significantly enhanced by introducing aviation as a means of distribution, “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Southport Flying Club. Their generous commitment of aircraft and pilots will help us deliver aid more efficiently and to a much broader range of communities in need,” he said.

“Serving Our People is now in a prime position to be faster than anyone else at responding to disaster.”

ABOUT SERVING OUR PEOPLE

A COVID success story, Serving Our People first opened its doors in March 2020 as a logistics, delivery and emergency relief not-for-profit public benevolent institution.

Serving Our People has grown to a mobilised team of more than 4,500 volunteers across South-east Queensland and Northern New South Wales, delivering over a million meals a year, supporting more than 5,000 recipients per week between Gold Coast, Logan, Yarabilba, Ipswich, Brisbane and the Northern Rivers region.

Serving Our People is Australia’s fastest growing charity, delivering anything to anyone in need and has supported the needs of thousands of individuals during times of crisis including during COVID, flooding, the ongoing rising cost of living, and refugees in need of support both in Australia and overseas.

ABOUT SOUTHPORT FLYING CLUB

Southport Flying Club began in 1972 and is home to 300 members and 150 aircraft. The club proudly offers its facilities and infrastructure to emergency services including Life Flight and Westpac Rescue Helicopter as a stand-off base, with many members on the roster as pilots for Angel Flight.