TORONTO — Canada has responded in full to St. Vincent and The Grenadines’ call for help last week, sending much needed items to aid in the island’s ongoing relief efforts.
Following the volcanic eruption of La Soufriere on April 9, and 30 identifiable explosive events in the immediate days after, nearly 20,000 people have been displaced, with 4,000 now living in government shelters around the island. The disaster has also been exacerbated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Canadian response to the country’s call for assistance, however, has been “extraordinary,” said Shelley John, Director of Sales in Canada for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
“The government and the people on the island are bursting with gratitude and emotion at the show of support we have received from Canadians,” she said. John added that so far, five 40-foot shipping containers of donated items have been sent from Canada, and another shipment of donations went on a Sunwing flight to St. Lucia last week.
However, items including nebulizers, puffers and respirator masks such as the N95 masks are still in high demand as residents continue to deal with a large amount of ash in the air.
For anyone wishing to donate items to the people of St. Vincent, there are now three drop-off locations in the Greater Toronto Area, organized by CARI-ON SVG Disaster Preparedness:
- Faith Ministries – 4370 Steeles Ave. W., Unit 20, Woodbridge (10am-6pm)
- Morningstar Christian Fellowship Church – 7601 Sheppard Ave. E., Scarborough (2-7pm)
- New Haven Funeral Centre – 7025 Legion Rd, Mississauga (7am-4pm)
To contact CARI-ON, please email carion.org@gmail.com or call 416-707-0125.
Financial support can also be provided through CARI-ON’s GoFundMe campaign, or by donating to GlobalMedic, a Canadian charity and disaster response agency (on the donation page, from the dropdown ‘Fund’ menu, select ‘4 – Saint Vincent – Volcanic Eruption’).
Regular updates can be found on the UWI Seismic Research Centre’s Facebook page.
