Federal and provincial governments say they will match donations made to the Canadian Red Cross (CRC) 2024 Alberta Wildfires Appeal.
"Red Cross launched an appeal on July the 25th. And similar to the last fire season, we are announcing we will be matching that amount over the next 30 days. So we hope people will go online to Red Cross and donate," Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said at a press event on Friday.
"One of the reasons why it's so important to have the Red Cross programs is that often Red Cross is able to partner with local community groups and identify those needs with local chambers of commerce, local food banks, animal shelters, and local homeless shelters. They act as a bit of an aggregator for all of that contribution. That's why we're happy to be able to match it and the federal government's happy to match it," Smith said.
Federal Minister of Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan said the federal government would also be matching donations to CRC alongside Alberta, and that more details about the program would be revealed soon.
"Donations to the Canadian Red Cross will be used for assisting those impacted in Jasper and other affected areas in Alberta with immediate and ongoing relief including financial assistance, support to evacuees and the communities hosting them, recovery and resilience efforts in response to the wildfires, as well as supporting community preparedness and risk reduction for future all-hazard disaster events within Alberta," CRC said in a statement about its Alberta Wildfires Appeal.
The CRC is already helping provide support to displaced Jasper residents at the evacuation centre in Edmonton, "registering those impacted by the wildfires in Jasper in Edmonton to provide reception and information services, emergency accommodation, personal services, emotional support, and referrals to other resources available in the community.
As of Thursday, officials said 436 evacuees from Jasper had arrived at the Kennedale Site, Building #2, located at 12814-58 St. in Edmonton, and were expecting more to come in the days that followed.
Donations to the Alberta Wildfires Appeal can be made at www.redcross.ca, by calling 1-800-418-1111, or by texting ABFIRES to 45678 to donate $10.
