Pictures of long queues at remote supermarkets in COVID-19 lockdown in western New South Wales compelled Marley Morgan to rally her community more than 600 kilometres away to help.
The Gamilaraay-Wiradjuri woman who lives in Coffs Harbour, on the state's Mid North Coast, has family and friends in Lightning Ridge struggling to get supplies.
She said her father waited 40 minutes to enter the remote town's only supermarket.
"It was very worrying that my family and friends were going to go without."
The dire situation prompted Ms Morgan to start a fundraiser with a target of $1,000 to buy non-perishable goods and other essentials for her family and friends.
Three days later, she has raised nearly nine times that amount with donations continuing to come in.
The Walanbaa Dhurrali Aboriginal Integrated Child and Family Centre is one of the organisations Ms Morgan will be sending donations.
The centre's manager, Jason Cobb, said Ms Morgan's connections with the community and her work with the charity Happy Boxes — which sends toiletries for women and girls — has ensured deliveries can get through quickly.
"Marley has been a great help with the whole COVID-19 lockdown and the crisis support and assistance they offer. It's been great," Mr Cobb said.
He said without Ms Morgan's efforts many would have to resort to ordering online, which can take up to a week to be delivered.
"It's a problem for most families on a regular time, let alone lockdown, having all your kids at home. They are really appreciative of what we do," Mr Cobb said.
"You can see the relief on some of the families' faces when you drop some the stuff off to them."
Ms Morgan said her fundraising efforts are part of a larger support network across the state helping remote communities in lockdown.
She has also contacted Indigenous organisations and elders in Warren and Walgett that have asked for bulk bottled water supplies and masks, among other essentials.
"I've been making lots of phone calls and seeing how we can stretch this money out across the communities that are affected," Ms Morgan said.
