Local fundraising efforts are already helping those in the Peace Country. More than $31,000 is being doled out to food banks in the area, thanks to Rotary Dream Home Lottery ticket sales.
The Rotary Club of Grande Prairie pledged to donate half of the proceeds from tickets sold in April to its COVID-19 Rapid Relief Fund. The goal is to raise $100,000 to keep area food banks’ shelves full until its annual food drive in September.
“We are putting dollars where they are needed within days,” says Club President Steve Madden. “We will do this until the lottery wraps up, April 22. I’m proud of how the Rotary Club of Grande Prairie has moved this along. It will make a difference.”
From sales between April 1st and 5th, a cheque for $26,000 has been handed over to the Salvation Army Food Bank in Grande Prairie. Sexsmith’s will get $1,280, Wembley $1,125, Beaverlodge $970, and Fairview and Hythe $940 each. Tickets for the $1.4 million Dream Home package in Taylor Estates can be purchased through winadreamhome.ca or by calling 780-513-8887. The rest of its proceeds benefit several community groups.
The Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership says its Community Care Program is also off to a good start. Since launching March 23rd, 32 deliveries of essential food and pharmacy supplies have been made to people who are unable to leave their homes due to mandatory self-isolation or being high-risk.
“We are grateful for frontline workers, such as grocery stockers and cashiers, who help to keep our community in motion,” says Chris Manuel, Acting Director of Emergency Management for GPREP. “Frontline workers aren’t limited to one industry; they cross many sectors such as the transportation of goods, medical staff, emergency response personnel, and utility providers.”
The program is running in collaboration with the southside Safeway, which has been packing the orders. Anyone in need of the service can submit an application online. The service area includes the City and County of Grande Prairie, County of Grande Prairie, Wembley, Sexmith, Beaverlodge, and Hythe.