Emergency Fund Supports Lake Louise Fire Victims
Quick Response and Direct Impact: Bow Valley Emergency Fund Supports Lake Louise Fire Victims
When a fire broke out at the Lake Louise Charleston staff residence on July 3, 2023, more than 170 people lost almost all their belongings. For many, this was their first job away from home and the uncertainty hit them hard. The Bow Valley community stepped in quickly looking for ways to help. Within a day, the Banff Canmore Foundation activated its Bow Valley Emergency Fund (BVEF), a stand-by fund that’s designed for quick response of financial aid in the Bow Valley.
BCF has experience facilitating community response to emergencies locally. Through more than 20 years of working in the Bow Valley, including nearly $500,000 of emergency funding during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Foundation has developed a strong, broad network of community partners that help ensure funds flow where they’re most needed.
We’re a trusted steward of funds with an established governance structure and transparent decision-making processes. We’re able to respond quickly, directly and strategically all while meeting rigorous requirements.
Laurie Edward
BCF Executive Director
Donors responded quickly and generously. Other fundraising efforts including via GoFund Me, and several other community fund raisers pooled their funds into the BVEF, realizing that it’d be easier, more efficient, and more practical to work with a qualified, legal structure like BVEF and BCF.
The community generosity rapidly reached $75,000. The emergency management team’s message was clear – funds should flow as immediately and directly as possible to the displaced individuals to help them get back on their feet and allow them to be agents of their own recovery.
“You don’t realise how much this means to the residents,” said one community member. “Thank you so much to all who have supported them.”
“Thank you again to you and your kind donors for your support. We have found it overwhelming and heartwarming,” wrote a mother from the United Kingdom on behalf of her son, a chef who was living at Charleston."
Getting this done was a coordinated effort. BVEF funds were sent to ID9, which is a legal and qualified donee, who then funded each of three employers to deposit the funds directly into affected residents bank accounts. Within a week of the fire, each resident impacted by the fire received $400. By the end of this week, they will each have received another $300 to use how they wish. That is a total of $122,500 in immediate support.
“Once again, the generosity of our community has been inspiring,” said Edward. “It demonstrates that this community deeply values frontline tourism workers and all that they bring to the Bow Valley.”
The recovery effort is far from over. The BVEF remains open for donations. Over the coming weeks we will continue to work with the agencies managing the recovery effort and direct additional funds towards less immediate, but critical, long term supports.
