(Above) From left, Henry Braun; Lt-Col Jamie Braund, DC, B.C. Div; and Dean Colthorp participate in a cheque-presenting ceremony at Cascade CC in Abbotsford, B.C.

The Salvation Army is providing ongoing flood relief to some of the hardest hit areas in British Columbia, including $500,000 to First Nations groups, who are still dealing with a massive recovery effort.

“The funding will help communities in their continued recovery efforts,” says Mike Leland, divisional secretary for public relations, British Columbia Division. “Some of these communities are still dealing with cleanup and restoration efforts, including some First Nations communities that were completely cut off during the floods. Our goal is to get them back to some sense of normalcy as soon as possible.”

Earlier this year, The Salvation Army provided more than $600,000 to regions impacted by the floods, which overwhelmed southwestern British Columbia last November. The initial round of funding supported The Salvation Army’s immediate relief efforts on site in the hardest hit areas. This second round of funding totaling $725,000 will directly support communities that are dealing with recovery and restoration: construction, equipment and labour, and continued support with food security. Henry Braun, mayor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Dean Colthorp, First Nations Emergency Support Society, received their funding at The Salvation Army’s Cascade Community Church in Abbotsford in May.

“I want to thank The Salvation Army for their flood relief support immediately following the November 2021 flood and now as recovery work continues,” said Mayor Braun. “Over 300 city infrastructure sites were damaged, and $100,000 to the City of Abbotsford will help us move our recovery and restoration work forward.”

“We know this may be a small drop in the bucket,” says Leland. “But every dollar helps these communities in their recovery effort, and as an organization that serves on the frontlines, we are duty-bound to support the communities and those who call them home.” 

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