Red Cross Programs (Page 3)

The young dancers from the Love to Dance Academy were thrilled about their annual dance event last November. Instead on November 15, 2021, during the first day of the dance event, the entire community of Merritt began to disperse as panicked families rushed to leave town. An evacuation order had been put out due to the massive flooding.

Shah, his wife, his two young children and his elderly parents lived without electricity as temperatures dropped on the island after Hurricane Fiona. Luckily, Shah soon found out about the support Red Cross was offering to people impacted by the hurricane and was introduced to “Mister René,” as he likes to call René Omalosanga, the accommodation lead for the response to Hurricane Fiona in Prince Edward Island.

Disability doesn’t discriminate, it can appear in our lives, whether from birth, through illness and injury, or simply by the natural process of aging. Chances are, you or someone you know, lives with some form of temporary or permanent disability. Would you know where to turn to if you needed health equipment to maintain your quality of life?

On a November morning last year, as Travis looked inside his newly renovated shop, he could see the water slowly creeping higher. He was in disbelief. He had never imagined the flooding of the Nooksack River would have such a devastating impact on his property in Abbotsford.

The Princeton Family Services Society building in B.C. was damaged in the flooding and the cost of repairing their building has been a stressor. After hearing about the Canadian Red Cross’ Support to Small Businesses and Not-for-Profits Program, Jenny decided to apply for the financial assistance.
“The loss of building and then rebuilding is a huge cost to us,” emphasizes Jenny. “Help from Red Cross has really helped."

At the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in Nova Scotia, hundreds of free rapid antigen test kits arrived at Homebridge Youth Society, enabling the youth residential care provider to implement twice-weekly testing that helped keep the home in operation through the worst of the pandemic.

Despite being brought together out of an unfortunate circumstance, the powerful impact of Chris and George’s story is bright, inspiring, and heartwarming. The bond the two now have speaks to the undeniable importance of human connection and how something as simple as having a conversation can make a world of difference to someone.

Dealing with this pandemic can be overwhelming. Many of us are struggling with what we’re seeing in the news, watching case numbers rise, or still aren’t ready to “get back to normal”. If you’re struggling, here are some tips to help take care of yourself: