United Way NWT fire, flood fund tops $500K

United Way NWT has breezed past its initial goal of raising $100,000 for its emergency response fund for fires and floods.

By Sunday afternoon, the campaign had raised $529,000, said David Connelly, volunteer chair of the United Way NWT's emergency response committee.

"That speaks to the tremendous generosity and timely response of mostly Northerners," he told CBC News. "I would say from the private sector company and private individual side, it is by far the largest and most rapid response we've had."

United Way NWT began collecting donations Monday, and has distributed over $100,000 to non-profit community groups working directly with fire evacuees.Connelly said grants were being approved in as little as six hours.

"Almost all of the requests that have been made to us have qualified for funding and we've approved almost all of the requests that have come through," he said.

Any organizations working with evacuees are invited to apply for rapid access grants of up to $2,500. A one-page funding application can be found on the United Way NWT website.

United Way NWT has also granted three larger requests for around $25,000. Some organizations, including the Yellowknives Dene, are spending that money on gift cards that go directly to people displaced by the fire.

"This is where the United Way can really contribute, perhaps in a manner that's different than government organizations," Connelly said. "We can step in within a matter of hours after the emergency starts happening and start distributing either gift cards or food or other benefits to start meeting those very immediate front end needs."

The money is not just being spent in Yellowknife. Some has gone to organizations in other communities were evacuees have gathered, including Fort Providence.

United Way NWT is still waiting for someone to reach out from Fort McPherson to help people affected by the flooding in that community.

"We have funds that are available for the flood but we do need to have that one-page application filled out," Connelly said. "And if you can't do it online, please phone and we can fill it out over the phone."

The number to call is 867-675-2643.

No admin fees

Connelly also noted that all of the money raised in the emergency fund will be going directly to people affected.

He says his organization takes no administrative fee whatsoever on the emergency fund, and will look to other forms of support to cover any extra administrative costs associated with getting the money into the hands of people who need it.

In addition to private and individual donations, governments have been a big supporter. All three northern territories donated $25,000 to the fundraising effort last week. The N.W.T. government later announced it would match individual donations up to $150,000.

The Union of Northern Workers (UNW) contributed $30,000, a donation that was later matched by the Public Service Alliance of Canada for a total of $60,000.

Enbridge also donated $10,000 to the fund.

As for getting that remaining $400,000 to people in need, Connelly encourages organizations to apply to spend it.

But he said he's not rushing to get all of the money out the door.

"We're looking at a fire season that, you know, hopefully it'll start raining next week and it will be short. But as a responsible organization we have to be prepared for a fire season that could go on for two or three months."