Community Health (Page 16)

The Francophone Association of Brooks is working hard to continue programming amidst the pandemic, thanks to the Government of Canada’s Emergency Support for Community Organizations granting program.

Read how a local organization is helping seniors in rural Nova Scotia, thanks in part to a grant from the Red Cross. Read how they are making a difference, and learn about grants that are available to community organizations helping vulnerable people during COVID-19. 

Parks and playgrounds were summer’s go-to for children across Canada. It’s still uncertain times with some places opening public areas, depending on your region, and some places still off-limits, especially for children. Even still, some Canadians may still be unsure about venturing into common domains. With that in mind, we thought to bring you some ideas to entertain children around home – still.

Like many others, when Sunny Sun came to Canada from China, her elderly parents followed. They didn’t speak any English and were not familiar with the culture. It was understandably a difficult transition for them.

With the Red Cross for over a dozen years, I have been deployed to the scene of unimaginable emergencies many times, including the Lac-Mégantic railway tragedy, the Fort McMurray wildfire, the recent floods in Eastern Canada and to Montreal to welcome many Syrian refugees. Unfortunately, I understand too well the plight of people confronted with extraordinary situations.

When provincial officials first declared a state of emergency due to COVID-19, it was a bit of a blur for me. I had just lost my grandmother and was still working through my thoughts. I felt confused and scared. I had a dozen sleepless nights from being fixated on the news.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian Red Cross volunteers are working in local communities to assist the most vulnerable populations.
Volunteers such as Luc and Adele are administering door-to-door Safety and Wellness checks in Ottawa.

The Upper Squamish Valley Fire (or Magee Road Fire) was the first emergency of 2020 requiring evacuations to hit the province of British Columbia. Read how the Red Cross responded, when rules around COVID-19 drastically altered how we work.