Monetary donations are being accepted through a collaboration between the Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership, and the Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta. According to the organizations, this partnership will help those who are wanting to support evacuees in the community who have been impacted by the wildfires.
CEO for the Community Foundation Laura LeValley explains when emergencies, like the current wildfires strike members of the community want to help.
“We just have to make sure that we manage how donations are handled so that it best suits the needs of the people who are displaced, or experiencing the disasters in their community,” LeValley says. “Often time material donations are difficult for people who are displaced to manage. So we have an opportunity to facilitate online donations of money, that then the community foundation grants back to the communities that are in need at that time.”
LaValley adds when someone donates they can indicate what community they would like to support, and those funds can then be directed to where they are needed in that community. This will help from material donations piling up and being difficult for people to manage when they are already in a difficult situation.
“We know there is obviously need for clothing and such when people are displaced, and there are other organizations that are able to supply and support with that. But this is just our way of further supporting and allowing people to put their donations into action.”
GPREP echoes LaValley’s comments in a press release saying “If people are inclined to support, monetary donations are much easier to manage.”
The Northwestern Community Foundation donation link can be found here.
