Centraide Outaouais raises more than half a million dollars with COVID-19 relief fund

One month after launching its COVID-19 Emergency Fund, Centraide Outaouais announced that it has raised more than $500,000 from around 400 donors.

According to a press release issued by Centraide Outaouais on April 23, the organization has doled out just under $220,000 to 22 different agencies in the region so far, including the Aylmer Food Centre.

It explained that agencies are continuing to seek Centraide Outaouais’ help, noting that requests are processed twice per week.

So far, the allocated funding has been used to subsidize measures to prevent food insecurity, to support seniors and vulnerable citizens and to hire staff members. It added the funds will keep the assisted agencies up and running until June.

In the press release, Centraide Outaouais’ executive director Nathalie Lepage expressed her gratitude for the substantial financial support the organization has received thus far, underlining the importance of continuing to help those in need when they’re at their most vulnerable.

“The most urgent needs are for food aid and assistance to seniors, and the requests coming in reflect this,” she said. “That said, we are starting to see the development of other issues, and some requests we are now receiving have to do with psychological support, educational needs and resources to maintain connections with youth, to mention a few. As the curve flattens and we move on from the crisis, our agencies will obviously be facing many challenges generated by the resumption of normal day-to-day activities. They will still be needing our help, as they are already overloaded as things stand.”

During the city of Gatineau’s municipal council meeting on April 21, council accepted a $20,000-plus donation on behalf of each councillor to Centraide Outaouais’ Emergency Fund.

Those wanting to donate funds to Centraide Outaouais can do so via their website - http://www.centraideoutaouais.com/ - by sending an e-mail to brassardj@centraideoutaouais.com or by calling (819) 771-7751, Ext. 240.

The initiative’s proceeds will focus on paying for essential needs like food, ensuring that community partners can continue to provide their essential services, to support the most isolated citizens such as the elderly and to provide mental health support.