CAMPBELL RIVER – To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) has launched an emergency assistance initiative – ‘SRD Delivers’. This initiative recognizes the value of organized response to assist vulnerable members of our communities with food and other essentials.
The SRD is providing sustainable funding for organizations that can offer assistance with grocery shopping, the delivery of food, prescriptions and other essentials for the benefit of the elderly (65+) and other vulnerable persons who must self-isolate in accordance with Public Health Orders. SRD Delivers is available to households within the Regional District’s electoral areas, municipalities and First Nation communities.
Michele Babchuk is Strathcona Regional District Chair
“Providing effective support and care to seniors and vulnerable populations during this pandemic is a critical priority for the Strathcona Emergency Program,” says Strathcona Regional District Chair Michele Babchuk. “We have already seen a number of organizations emerge to provide community support during this event. As an example, the efforts of the Quadra Island Care Mongering Group caught the attention of Prime Minister Trudeau, as he tweeted about it on March 30th. Supporting these initiatives and advocating for sustainable funding to help these organizations achieve their goals is very important to the SRD Board.”
“Our Regional District is vast, and each community is quite different. It’s crucial that we keep this program flexible in order to empower local organizations to find solutions that best fit with their reality,” says Strathcona Regional District Protective Services Coordinator Shaun Koopman. “One of the many advantages of operating the emergency program as a regional service is our ability to build on existing relationships to get a program like this up and running. Our colleagues at Emergency Management BC worked hand in hand with the SRD to develop this program and their collaboration and support is much appreciated.”
Interested service providers can submit their letters of intent directly online or get more details about SRD Delivers by visiting www.srd.ca/srddelivers. For additional information, please email srddelivers@srd.ca or call 250.830.6700.
The Strathcona Regional District is a partnership of four electoral areas and five municipalities providing services to approximately 44,000 residents.