Fort Mac Relief

[Chemtrails-On]

Like many people on this site, I cut my teeth in this industry by taking people in and out of the Fort Mac area. Now, close to 100,000 people from that area are effectively homeless and without jobs. With images that terrifying and tales that are heartbreaking, it is impossible for me to ignore the desperate need of those, directly or indirectly, that gave me so much.

Over the coming days, I am fortunate enough to be working overtime on evacuation flights out of the region. Every penny I earn on these flights will be donated to the Red Cross. My challenge to the countless crew members that are working tirelessly to evacuate people, and those that have benefitted from the patch is this: Donate your earnings from just one trip to our friends in desperate need this week.

[co-joe]

Good job chem trails, I applaud your dedication, and I don't want to take away from what you are doing. Just a thought;

I was just looking up the Canadian Red Cross's rating on line and it's apparently an A-. Sounds great, but when you look deeper, in some cases only 60 cents on the dollar goes to the charity, the rest goes to wages and overhead, plus YMM isn't their only charity right now. The CEO makes over 300K a year, the board of directors in the quarter mil range and on and on.

Now if this were Haiti, or the Philippines then the Red Cross would be the only real viable option since locals here aren't equipped to provide assistance overseas. But this is our back yard. Can we not donate to someone who is already giving aid to displaced people? I'm all for Trudeau matching our donations, but almost half of his (our) money goes to overhead and marketing.

Does anyone know of a local charity that can cut out the middle man here? YLB is home to thousands of people in a gymnasium. Who is feeding them directly? How about in YEG, etc?

One link: https://www.charityintelligence.ca/char ... -red-cross

[Strobes]

I'm with Co-Joe on this one. The Red Cross won't be able to do much. Our money is better spent on community organizations in Fort Mac that will be needed for the rebuilding. Like Big Bros/Big Sis'es, YMCA, Lion's club, etc.

Doesn't have the same "pzazz", but at least the money won't go towards operating a G5.

[xchox]

Anyone have any specifics on why we haven't just accepted the help from the Russians?

Not only would it be cool to see some IL-76s, Be-200s, and Be-12s in action... We really need to get the job done so these poor people can start putting back together their lives and rebuilding. Politics be damned.

[tailgunner]

Xchox,
I believe that it isn't a shortage of aircraft, but a shortage of airspace.
Cheers.

[co-joe]

They said on the news last night that 44 million was raised for the red cross during the YYC flood in 2013 but only 2% of it went to help flood victims. They are a good cause, but not the best at targeting a specific need.

[CD]

I guess it depends which "news" organization one wants to believe and what their sources were. In June 2015, the Calgary Sun reported the following:

Canadian Red Cross outlines $43 million in flood aid for Calgary and southern Alberta flooding

...

Here’s a look at how many have been helped, how much money raised and where it’s been spent:

• Families helped: 7,700
• Community projects supported: 70
• Money raised to date: $43.3 million
• Money spent so far: $36.2 million

Where has the money been allocated?

• $23.6 million — Assistance to individuals and families
• 945,000 relief items
• 55,000 people assisted through registration and information line
• Personal assessments to identify needs
• Financial support for food, clothing, medical supplies, child care, bills, rent and other expenses

• $9.9 million — Shelter and home cleanup/repair
• Shelter management and support
• Home cleanup, repair and rehabilitation
• Initiatives to help families returning home
• Sustainable funds for creation of affordable housing

• $7.2 million — Community initiatives and support for small businesses
• Community grants for projects, events and workshops
• Small business support
• Community partnerships

• $2.6 million — Community resiliency and disaster preparedness
• Disaster preparedness education
• Community capacity building
• Community outreach campaigns
• Disaster preparedness kits

[jschnurr]

I gave $15 to the Red Cross once. I think it was supposed to be for the flooding in the Philippines or something. But the amount of junk mail that I received since then, with all the fundraising efforts, personalized stickers that I don't care for, and the nickels that they send in hopes that you will send it back with a generous donation, surely has had to cost more than the $15 I gave 'em. I feel like my donation just went for a heap of junk mail, although on the bright side I did get a miniscule tax deduction and all the junk mail keeps Canada Post employed...

[HiLo]

I gave $15 to the Red Cross once. I think it was supposed to be for the flooding in the Philippines or something. But the amount of junk mail that I received since then, with all the fundraising efforts, personalized stickers that I don't care for, and the nickels that they send in hopes that you will send it back with a generous donation, surely has had to cost more than the $15 I gave 'em. I feel like my donation just went for a heap of junk mail, although on the bright side I did get a miniscule tax deduction and all the junk mail keeps Canada Post employed...

That's what I can't stand about those organisations. I have a select group of charities I donate to, and they're small enough to know me (I also do some volunteering, translating, etc...) and that I don't like getting bombed with junk mail. I also get to see how they are run, and I must say, it seems that the smaller outfits are more careful with spending and therefore get a better bang for the buck.

[co-joe]

I just talked to a friend who has a house in Inglewood that the basement flooded on. He said the community outreach was so amazing that when another food truck came around with sandwiches they started asking "what kind". Not to be rude, but because there was so much support floating around that it was ridiculous. As for the red cross? They came around 3 weeks after the flood when the basement had already been repaired, repainted, and the tenants had moved back in to offer cleaning supplies.


My suggestion would be to donate to the United Way of Ft McMurray, Big Brother Big Sisters of Ft McMurray, or Salvation Army of Ft McMurray. The Edmonton Food Bank is helping today. The Bold Centre in Lac La Biche is housing thousands. I don't even know who's paying to feed them.

The red cross is only going to help the people who have registered by today and out of 88000 people only something like 15000 have registered.

[Redneck_pilot86]

The Red Cross blew 500 MILLION in Haiti, your money will be much better utilized by donating to one of the Charities already in Fort Mac.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/06/r ... 49198.html

[Braun]

For anyone looking to donate directly to families this is this the CATCA go fund me. At least one fellow ATC lost his home. Obviously giving anywhere is great.

https://www.gofundme.com/CATCA_FortMac

[Meatservo]

The CEO makes over 300K a year, the board of directors in the quarter mil range and on and on.

DIsgusting.

You're right, there has to be a better way to help.