May 4, 2000 Press Release
Corporations lend support to Red Cross disaster services
(Toronto, May 4, 2000) – If experts are correct, Canadians can expect to deal with an increase in natural disasters this decade. They can expect, too, that Red Cross will be more prepared to help than ever before -- thanks to 12 corporate partnerships announced today in Toronto.
The partnerships inject more than $3 million in cash, goods and services into Canadian Red Cross disaster response programs designed to help address basic needs of Canadians affected by disasters.
Red Cross assistance can range from the provision of food and shelter, to assisting evacuees in returning to their homes. Most of that help is dispensed through a network of more than 6,000 volunteers specifically trained to respond to disasters of all sizes – at a moment's notice.
"In recent years, Canadians have been more and more vulnerable to the effects of disasters," says Pierre Duplessis, Secretary General of the Canadian Red Cross. "As the frequency and magnitude of disasters increase, so must the capacity of Red Cross to respond. With the help of these leading corporations, we're better prepared than ever before."
Disaster partners introduced today were: Canada Post, The Bay, Zellers, Compaq Canada Inc., Corel Corporation, Petro-Canada, Royal & SunAlliance, The Home Depot, The Weather Network, Air Canada, Canadian Bankers Association and Yahoo Canada. Their contributions range from cash, blankets, building supplies and computers – to teddy bears, cargo space, receipting services, promotional and educational materials.
"Red Cross volunteers are ordinary people doing extraordinary things," says George Heller, President and CEO of Hudson's Bay Company. "We are putting the strength of The Bay and Zellers behind these people – and we're encouraging other corporations to do the same. Together we can minimize the effect of disasters on Canadian families."
Most Canadians still don't think of disasters as happening here, but statistics prove otherwise. In recent years, disasters have forced more than four million Canadians from their homes – and caused billions of dollars in damage. Payments by governments and insurers have been doubling every five to 10 years.
Red Cross has always played a major role in responding to large-scale disasters in Canada – including recent floods in Manitoba and the Saguenay region of Quebec. The Society was also very active in response to the Ice Storm that paralyzed much of eastern Canada and the crash of SwissAir flight 111 off the coast of Nova Scotia.
Through the 1990s, Red Cross translated more than $100 million in public and corporate donations into meaningful help for those affected by disaster.
This week is also Emergency Preparedness Week, an event encouraging Canadians to be prepared for emergencies. The week's theme is "together we prepare ... the family, the community, the country".
For more information, contact:
Suzanne Charest
Communications Officer
Tel: (613) 740-1928
Pager: (613) 594-7405
