Six months after severe flooding devastated swaths of southern Alberta, the Canadian Red Cross is still receiving fresh requests for help from people struggling to rebuild their lives. There is growing concern that some individuals and families have hesitated to seek assistance and are now facing increasingly serious financial difficulties.
The Canadian Red Cross would like to encourage those who are still struggling to call the assistance line at 1-866-696-6484 to discuss their needs in strictest confidence.
Assistance is based on individual need and can include mortgage, rent or utility payments, food, school supplies or occupational tools to help people return to work. The Red Cross is also partnering with the province to provide furnaces, hot water tanks and other essential heating items to eligible homeowners.
In High River, Lynette McCracken, executive director of the town’s Chamber of Commerce, also encourages people, regardless of their perceived status or situation, to seek assistance if they still need it:
“I know there are people who probably thought they could manage alone. Maybe they have been too embarrassed to get help, and they’re just barely getting by. But they should remember Red Cross funds were donated and collected on their behalf, too. They can view this support as a hand-up, not a hand-out,” said McCracken.
Are you in need of assistance? The Red Cross remains committed to reaching out to all those who are still struggling after the floods. Click here for more information