As mainland farmers battle devastating drought conditions, Tasmanians continue to rally behind them.
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Members of the Riverside Lions Club are the latest to dig deep and donate funds to help those in need.
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The club has collected $5000 through its local fundraisers, which will go directly to the national Lions Club project – Need for Feed.
The project has been supporting farmers and raising funds for fire, flood and drought relief since 2006, delivering livestock feed as well as food packages for families suffering.
NSW farmers are the latest victims, with the entire state declared drought-affected.
Recent figures from the NSW Department of Primary Industries revealed 61 per cent of the state was either in drought or intense drought, while nearly 39 per cent had been impacted by dry conditions.
RELATED: Drought bites 100 per cent of NSW
Riverside Lions Club member Phil Crowden said Tasmanian volunteers had been involved with the Need for Feed project since it began more than 12 years ago.
"Lions Clubs are always on hand anywhere in the world to assist communities cope with disasters of any kind,” he said.
“Australia is such a huge land that at any time we can be assisting in drought or fire relief in one area and flood relief somewhere else.
"Riverside Lions Club recognises that the farming community is vital to the nation and it is important to look after our farmers and their families at times such as these, because we cannot survive without them.”
![Riverside Lions Club food van at UTAS Stadium. Picture: supplied Riverside Lions Club food van at UTAS Stadium. Picture: supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/33x2EhhAkH8V5ukLXns43Jt/ccdba907-5962-4fbd-b609-1f4a6d7165f2.jpg/r2045_0_4069_2752_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Much of the funds were raised during AFL matches at UTAS Stadium, where volunteers run the Lions food van.
"When people buy something from the Riverside Lions Food Kitchen at the football they are assisting us in looking after people doing it tough either in our local or the broader community,” Mr Crowden said.
To donate to the Lions Club project, Need for Feed, visit the website.
Other ways to donate to drought-affected farmers are through Red Cross, Buy a Bale, Aussie Helpers, and Rural Aid.
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