Canadian Red Cross

Red Cross volunteers help people affected by a disaster, most often a residential fire (this picture was taken before the COVID-19 pandemic).

Photo: Maude Richard

When major disasters like the spring 2019 floods occur, the Red Cross is there to provide support for the hundreds of families whose lives are suddenly turned upside down.

Photo: Joe Alvoeiro / Canadian Red Cross

Donations also enable volunteers to receive emergency response training to take care of our communities 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Photo: Red Cross

Noëlla Voyer is just one of the 3,000 Red Cross volunteers in Québec who provide invaluable support to families that have lost everything.

Photo: Red Cross

We sometimes underestimate the power of a cuddly toy or a smile. The volunteers give teddy bears to every child who has been affected by a disaster.

Photo: Red Cross

People affected by a disaster get emergency assistance based on their needs in terms of food, clothing and shelter. They can also count on the Red Cross to lend them all kinds of support, including a sympathetic ear.

Photo: Red Cross

When a disaster happens abroad, whether it’s an earthquake, tsunami, or food crisis, the Red Cross sends out its emergency response teams. Honduras, Hurricanes Iota and Eta, November 2020.

Photo: Red Cross

Canada’s Standard Bearer for Humanitarian Aid and Public Health

For Canadians as well as people around the world, the Red Cross has long been synonymous with help, hope and comfort in time of emergency. Whether during flooding in eastern Canada, forest fires in the western part of the country, humanitarian crises resulting from wars in other areas of the globe, or natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes or the COVID-19 epidemic, the Red Cross is always on the front lines offering assistance and relief.

Red Cross volunteers and staff make up a huge network in every Canadian province and territory that can be mobilized at any moment to provide the people affected by an emergency situation with the basic essentials (comfort, food and shelter, new clothing, personal care kits) for the time it takes for them to get back on their feet and rebuild their lives, which may involve months, if not years. The Red Cross also sees to it that those receiving help and their communities will be better prepared to handle future crises by promoting the strengthening of their resilience.

Being ready for the next big disaster is not just a matter for the Red Cross. It’s a matter for households, businesses, and industry leaders. That’s why Power Corporation has become a member Disaster Response Alliance of the Red Cross that brings together forward-thinking organizations to ensure Canadian families and communities can overcome tomorrow’s disaster by preparing today. This alliance helps our communities get back on their feet as soon as possible. Power Corporation is proud to support the Red Cross as a key partner enabling it to provide, right from the outset of an emergency, help to those who need it most, when they need it most.