Generosity is coming in many forms for the thousands of people displaced by catastrophic floods that swept over parts of southern Alberta last month.
Athletes are donating winnings, children are holding bake sales and musicians have held impromptu concerts.
Okotoks resident Jennifer Zaffino, who owns Backbone Chiropractics, is raising money with a Come Hell or High River T-shirt that sell for $20. She has promised that all proceeds will go to High River flood victim relief.
“We started talking in the office about how everything was put on hold in High River,” she said.
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She bought the T-shirts and found another business to print them. About 300 have been sold per day and the effort has raised about $20,000.
Her next plan is to work with Sleep Country to donate mattresses and with Trail Appliances to provide refrigerators to families whose homes have received a red or orange sign on their door from building inspectors. The signs mean homes need considerable repair or may be condemned because of water and sewer damage.
The Town of High River set up a disaster relief fund at the Royal Bank of Canada, in which people can donate money to support relief efforts. Donations can be made at any Royal Bank branch. Donors should indicate that the funds are for the High River Disaster Relief Fund. A Paypal account has also been created so that donations can be made online. Look for the Paypal button on the town’s website at www.highriver.ca.
The Salvation Army is accepting financial donations and is providing emotional care, meals and water at evacuation centres.
Corporations have also stepped up. The following is an unofficial list of donations, mostly to the Red Cross Alberta flood relief:
• The Alberta government announced July 1 that it will spend $1.5 billion on flood relief efforts.
• Agrium will donate $50,000.
• Alberta Treasury Branch donated $100,000 and is accepting donations at branches.
• AltaLink is giving $100,000 to the Calgary Foundation’s Flood Rebuilding Fund.
• Apache Canada Ltd. donated $500,000.
• Bank of Montreal donated $100,000 to the Red Cross and $35,000 to the Siksika First Nation.
• BASF donated $50,000.
• British Columbia Liquor Store customers can support Red Cross flood relief efforts in Alberta by making a donation at any of the 195 B.C. Liquor Store.
• Six B.C. credit unions donated $245,000.
• Canadian Pacific will donate $200,000 to the Red Cross and will match all employee donations.
• Calgary Flames will donate $1 million.
• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce donated $100,000.
• Cargill will donate $250,000.
• Cenovus Energy Inc. donated $1 million to assist with flood relief efforts in southern Alberta. An initial donation of $250,000 will go to the Red Cross for immediate relief efforts. The company will then work with its community partners to determine how best to allocate the remainder of the donation.
• Dow Chemical Canada ULC and Dow AgroSciences Canada Inc. will donate $100,000 to the Red Cross.
• Edmonton Eskimos will donate $550,000.
• Encana Corp. is donating $500,000 to assist with flood relief efforts in southern Alberta. In addition, Encana will match employee donations up to $25,000 per employee as part of its matching gifts program.
• Husky Energy is donating $1 million.
• Imperial Oil Foundation will donate $100,000.
• MasterCard Canada will donate $25,000 and will double the amount that MasterCard employees donate.
• Motor Dealers’ Association of Alberta donated $85,000.
• Petro-Canada provided $25,000 worth of fuel for relief efforts, and Petro-Points members can give their points in increments of 1,000 to the Red Cross. The company will be matching those points dollar for dollar.
• Rogers Communications Inc. donated $100,000. Rogers and Fido customers can make a $5 donation by sending a free text message with the word “ABHELP” to 4664.
• Royal Bank of Canada is donating $125,000.
• Q9 Networks donated $50,000.
• Real Canadian Superstore, Extra Foods, Your Independent Grocer, Shop Easy, Nofrills and Wholesale Clubs in Alberta raised more than $300,000 in cash and products. Water, canned food and essential baby care supplies were also donated to the Red Cross.
• Rexall Drugs will donate $50,000.
• Richardson Foundation will give $100,000.
• Scotiabank will give $100,000.
• Sears Canada is accepting donations and has also provided five trucks to affected areas. As well, it has donated blankets, pillows, clothing and footwear to the Red Cross.
• Servus Credit Unions in Alberta have created a community rebuilding fund for communities affected by flooding. It will match donations to the fund to a maximum of $100,000.
• Shell Canada donated $150,000 to the Red Cross, $100,000 to Calgary-area social agencies and First Nations, including the hard-hit Siksika Nation, and $250,000 to other affected communities and First Nations across Alberta. Shell will also match employee donations.
• Sobeys launched an in-store fundraising campaign until July 15. It will match donations up to $100,000.
• Starbucks is donating $100,000 and will accept donations at its coffee shops.
• Suncor has donated $1.5 million as well as fuel and other funds for rebuilding efforts in First Nations communities.
• Syngenta Canada Inc. has introduced a donation-matching program. Syngenta will match employee contributions and also support employees who volunteer to assist with relief efforts.
• TD Canada Trust will donate $100,000 to the Red Cross and will match all public donations made through the bank by July 26 up to $100,000.
• Tim Horton’s will donate $100,000 and is offering a special Alberta rose doughnut to further support relief efforts.
• United Nurses of Alberta is giving $10,000.
• Viterra Inc. will donate $75,000.
• Wal-Mart Canada has donated the use of its trucks and is moving supplies, including cots and rescue blankets for the Red Cross. In-store fundraising has raised more than $160,000.
