Julia Miller Subject: Attachments: FW: Fort Mac Fire Update image002.png; ATT00001.htm; Donation_items_top_10.pdf; ATT00002.htm; Donations Management Public FAQ.pdf; ATT00003.htm; Donations Management Reception Centre FCSS_Municipality_email.docx; ATT00004.htm Karyn Hurlbut Community Services Manager Town of Bon Accord Building for Tomorrow Phone: 780 921 2137 www.bonaccord.ca From: Ken Dropko [mailto:ken.dropko@gov.ab.ca] Sent: June 14, 2016 1:01 PM Cc: HS PESSECC DIRECTOR <PESSECC DIRECTOR@gov.ab.ca>; HS PESSECC OPERATIONS <PESSECC OPERATIONS@gov.ab.ca>; HS PESSECC COMMUNICATIONS <PESSECC COMMUNICATIONS@gov.ab.ca>; Ken Dropko <Ken.Dropko@gov.ab.ca> Subject: Importance: High Good afternoon FCSS Colleagues, This message below is being sent on behalf of the PESS ECC Director: To: Reception Centres, FCSS Partners, Municipalities (M9) Albertans, Canadians, and others from around the world have truly stepped up during this crisis and shown unbelievable support to Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) residents and evacuees. One way people have been especially generous is through material goods donations. Many local communities have provided support through local donations centres. Now, with the volume of donations coming in and evacuees beginning to rebuild their lives either by returning home or settling in other communities, we are broadening donations management supports to ensure access these donations. The Alberta Government is announcing its provincial material goods donations management plan and partnership with the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB), Adventist Development and Relief Agency Canada (ADRA Canada) and communities around the province to collect, transport and distribute material donations. If you have donations in your community that you would like to get to returning residents and evacuees staying in other communities, you can: organize designated drop-off sites for the collection of donations to be transported to the Alberta Wildfire Donation Centre send donations remaining after you close your local donation centre, including used clothing, to the Alberta Wildfire Donations Centre, where they will be redirected and redistributed so that they benefit Albertans in need All donations can be shipped to: Alberta Wildfire Donation Centre 17306 129 Avenue NW Edmonton, Alberta 1
If you are unable to ship the items, we can arrange to pick up the items. To arrange a pickup, you can email HS.emerghs@gov.ab.ca. If you have evacuees staying in your community that are in need of donated goods, please email ymm.officemanager@adra.ca with your needs and to arrange a delivery. Once the good are delivered, municipalities are responsible for distribution. We will update emergency.alberta.ca with more information, including the most needed donations and designated drop-off sites. We know that local FCSS programs are vital to returning Wood Buffalo residents and those choosing to settle elsewhere. We thank you for your hard work and support during this time and always. Sonya Perkins PESS ECC Director Ken Dropko Executive Director Family and Community Support Services Branch Alberta Human Services (780) 644-2485 ken.dropko@gov.ab.ca 10 th Floor, Sterling Place 9940-106 th Street Edmonton, AB T5K 2N2 2
Top 10 Needed Items Alberta Wildfire Donations Centre 2016 Alberta Wildfires June 14, 2016 1. Canned meat (turkey, chicken, tuna, salmon, ham and corned beef). 2. Peanut butter 3. Baby food and formula 4. NEW baby bottles 5. NEW pillows 6. NEW towels 7. Basic first aid kits 8. Children s shoes 9. Sanitary wipes or multi-surface wipes 10. Water 1 This list will be updated regularly
Top 10 Needed Items Alberta Wildfire Donations Centre 1 This list will be updated regularly
FAQs Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Wildfire Donations Management Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Wildfire Donations Management 2016 Alberta Wildfires June 14, 2016 MAKING A MATERIAL GOODS DONATION Why aren t you taking used items? There is additional time and effort required to inspect and sort used items to determine if they can be redistributed to evacuees. In order to keep the process streamlined, we are unable to accept used items. Please consider another community organization that will benefit from your generosity. Will you take small appliances if they work? No electronics, including small appliances can be accepted. Please consider another community organization that will benefit from your generosity. I have gently used household goods that I would like to donate? Will you accept these items? Yes. We are able to gently used items such as pots and pans, dishes and cutlery and bedding and linens as long as they are in good working order. Can you accept furniture? The Alberta Wildfire Donations Centre is not equipped to accept furniture. Please call 310-4455 if you have gently used furniture that would benefit an evacuee and we will work with a community partner to accept these types of donations and get them to residents in need. What basic items do you need? Most needed items include new pillows, sheets, towels and gift cards for grocery stores. For an updated list of the most needed items, please visit emergency.alberta.ca. We are not accepting donations of small appliances or furniture at this time but some of our partnering organizations have the capacity to accept these. Please call the information line at 310-4455 for more information. Where can I donate material goods in my community? In Edmonton, donations can be taken to the Alberta Wildfire Donation Centre at 17306 129 Avenue NW, seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. 1 06/13/2016 11:40 AM
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Wildfire Donations Management Some municipalities and community organizations may also organize designated drop-off sites for donations to be transported to the Alberta Wildfire Donation Centre. Check with your municipality or visit emergency.alberta.ca for updates on participating locations. I am a member of a local knitting, quilting, sewing (etc.) club, are these items acceptable to donate? Any new items, whether they are purchased or handmade are acceptable to donate. We are unable to accept used donations. Where can I make a food donation? You can donate food for at any Alberta Food Bank location across the province. You can find member food bank locations on their website at albertafoodbanks.org I cooked food to donate, will you accept this? It is very important that the food or products that people receive from a food bank is safe to eat. The Alberta Food Bank follows Food Banks Canada s Safe Food Handling Standards, which prohibits the acceptance of homemade food. HOW DONATIONS ARE USED What are these donations for? Your donations will be sorted and distributed to communities across Alberta that are supporting returning residents and evacuees from the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. These donations will help evacuees who have not returned to the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, as well as residents who have returned rebuild their lives. What happens to used items that were donated? We will be working closely with like-minded partners to redirect and redistribute unneeded donations so that they benefit Albertans in need. What happens to unused donations? ADRA will ensure that when evacuee and resident needs have been met, unused material donations will be deployed to other Albertans in need. 2 06/13/2016 11:40 AM
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Wildfire Donations Management VOLUNTEERING How can I volunteer to help? Volunteers can assist at the Alberta Wildfire Donation Centre by registering online at http://bttr.im/cmdah or calling the information line at 310-4455. My business would like to volunteer my staff, how can we do this? We would appreciate your help. For businesses and other large groups who would like to volunteer together, please contact ADRA Canada directly at ymm.officemanager@adra.ca and they will make arrangements with you. My company would like to donate a large amount of material goods, who do we contact? Business donors can call 310-4455 for information on making a large material donation. MUNICIPALITIES/ORGANIZATIONS My community has collected a large number of donations; how will they be transported to the Alberta Wildfire Donation Centre in Edmonton? Please ship the donations to the Alberta Wildfire Donation Centre at 17306 129 Avenue NW in Edmonton. If you are unable to ship the items, we can send a courier or truck to pick up the items. To arrange a pickup, email HS.emerghs@gov.ab.ca. We have a large number of evacuees in our community, how do we get donations to them? Please email ymm.officemanager@adra.ca with your needs and to arrange a delivery. Who is responsible for staffing designation drop-off and distribution centres? Municipalities are responsible for staffing and organizing provincially approved designated drop-off and distribution centres. 3 06/13/2016 11:40 AM
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Wildfire Donations Management RECEIVING DONATIONS I m a Wood Buffalo resident, how do I get donations? Please make requests directly to the local social profits and non-governmental organizations listed on the municipality s website. They are able to submit a Resource Order to the Alberta Wildfire Donations Centre based on the inventory list. The goods will then be transported directly to those organizations for distribution to residents of Wood Buffalo. Where is a designated donation pick-up site in my community? Some municipalities and community organizations may also organize designated dropoff sites for donations to be transported to the Alberta Wildfire Donation Centre. Check with your municipality or visit emergency.alberta.ca for updates on participating locations. What identification, if any, do I need to bring with me to access donated items? You will need to bring your Canadian Red Cross registration number with you to access donated items. What if I don t have identification? If documents such as driver s licences or ID cards were left behind during evacuation, new cards can be requested free of charge at a registry agent across Alberta. You can find a registry agent online at servicealberta.gov.ab.ca/find-a-registry-agent.cfm Is there a limit to how many donated items I can take? The amount of donations that can be taken may vary between locations, based on availability and need, including how many people are being supported in your community. How long will it take to pick up donations? Times will vary depending on locations. How long will you be accepting and distributing donations? The Alberta Wildfire Donations Centre will be operational until the end of November. We will work with like-minded organizations after this time. Can on reserve Aboriginal and Metis Albertans receive donations? Yes, we are all Albertans. 4 06/13/2016 11:40 AM
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Wildfire Donations Management What if I am not mobile enough to get to a donation centre? If you have made arrangements with the local social profit or non-governmental organization in advance, seniors, individuals with mobility issues and those with special needs may have a family member collect donations on their behalf. ADRA Canada, The Government of Alberta and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo are not directly involved in this process. Can I pick up donations on behalf of my family member or friend? If you have made arrangements with the local social profit or non-governmental organization in advance you may be able to pick up donations on behalf of family member. ADRA Canada, The Government of Alberta and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo are not directly involved in this process. Will there be transportation arranged to take me to my designated donation site if I am not able to arrange my own transportation? At this time, we are not making transportation arrangements to get people to donation sites. Who do I contact for more information? Please visit emergency.alberta.ca for up-to-date information. If you need to contact someone directly with a donation-related inquiry, please email ymm.officemanager@adra.ca. 5 06/13/2016 11:40 AM
From: PESS Director To: Reception Centres, FCSS Partners, Municipalities (M9) Albertans, Canadians, and others from around the world have truly stepped up during this crisis and shown unbelievable support to Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) residents and evacuees. One way people have been especially generous is through material goods donations. Many local communities have provided support through local donations centres. Now, with the volume of donations coming in and evacuees beginning to rebuild their lives either by returning home or settling in other communities, we are broadening donations management supports to ensure access these donations. The Alberta Government is announcing its provincial material goods donations management plan and partnership with the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB), Adventist Development and Relief Agency Canada (ADRA Canada) and communities around the province to collect, transport and distribute material donations. If you have donations in your community that you would like to get to returning residents and evacuees staying in other communities, you can: organize designated drop-off sites for the collection of donations to be transported to the Alberta Wildfire Donation Centre send donations remaining after you close your local donation centre, including used clothing, to the Alberta Wildfire Donations Centre, where they will be redirected and redistributed so that they benefit Albertans in need All donations can be shipped to: Alberta Wildfire Donation Centre 17306 129 Avenue NW Edmonton, Alberta If you are unable to ship the items, we can arrange to pick up the items. To arrange a pickup, you can email HS.emerghs@gov.ab.ca. If you have evacuees staying in your community that are in need of donated goods, please email ymm.officemanager@adra.ca with your needs and to arrange a delivery. Once the good are delivered, municipalities are responsible for distribution. We will update emergency.alberta.ca with more information, including the most needed donations and designated drop-off sites. We know that local FCSS programs are vital to returning Wood Buffalo residents and those choosing to settle elsewhere. We thank you for your hard work and support during this time and always. Sonya Perkins PESS ECC Director
Attachments: News release Top 10 Needs Alberta Wildfire Donations Centre Donations Management Frequently Asked Questions