The Central Okanagan Foundation has donated $100,000 to the Westside Salvation Army to help those affected by the McDougall Creek wildfire.
“This donation will go a long way to support residents from West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation and Electoral Area West in the Regional District of Central Okanagan, as they recover from this historic wildfire event,” said Steve Schell, the recovery manager at the Resiliency Centre. “The disruption to residents lives due to the wildfire is significant and donations like this will help to address gaps and provide some reassurance to community members that are particularly vulnerable. The Resiliency Centre team is grateful for the generous support of donors to the Central Okanagan Foundation’s 2023 Wildfire Response Fund and The Salvation Army.”
The Westside Salvation Army has at least one employee at the Resiliency Centre daily to help people seeking support. On top of connecting individuals and families with community supports, the organization is issuing relief grants to help with rent, housing, food, transportation, and clothing.
“The impact being felt by dozens of households is life-altering,” says Westside Salvation Army captain Jennifer Henson. “Many households are discovering their new normal while rebuilding their lives post-fire, and we are here to support them on that journey. Thanks to the generosity of the Central Okanagan Foundation, we will continue to support households in very practical ways, one of the most important being finances to secure housing rentals, because the homes they once had are now gone.”
During the wildfires, The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services provided more than 14,000 snacks and meals to residents and first responders, including 4-5 meals a day to firefighters at the height of the blaze. They were also set up at the reception centre with food and drinks for residents on evacuation orders and provided practical assistance as well as emotional care.
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