The United Way of Fort McMurray released an update on their Fire Recovery Fund.
The document, reports back to donors on how the nearly $4.5 million in donations is helping in the recovery process of the community.
“We take the stewardship of these donations very seriously,” said Tony Mankowski, President of the Board of Directors. “We experienced a level of generosity that was truly humbling. Our commitment to these amazing donors is to use the funds to meet short- and mid-term needs directly resulting from last year’s wildfire.”
To date, $2.1 million has been invested in about 30 community agencies and initiatives.
“We are proud of the collaborative work that has been done to address gaps, eliminate duplication and ensure that funding goes to the areas of greatest need,” said John Evans, Co-Chair of the Community Partnerships Table. “This is a team effort when it comes to making investment decisions. Working closely with the many partners that contribute to this process, including the Canadian Red Cross, we have made remarkable progress in the first year of recovery.”
The Fire Recovery Update also lists businesses, organizations, initiatives, events, individuals and families who made donations to the Fire Recovery Fund.
“People from across Canada reached out wanting to help,” said Cecilia Mutch, Executive Director, The United Way of Fort McMurray. “These donations have supported many community organizations and initiatives. There have been many impacts from this tragic event, including a need to create and manage programs and services to respond to emerging community needs.”
Although reconstruction is well underway, recovery is expected to take several years.
The update’s conclusion reads that the mental health impacts of a disaster of this scale are undeniable.
Ensuring that the social infrastructure is in place and ready to respond has been a high priority in the first year after the fire.
You view view the United Way of Fort McMurray Fire Recovery Fund update here.
