Montreal, May 17, 2011 - The Red Cross has been providing services in the Montérégie area since April 29. The organization is supporting local and Quebec government relief operations.

Teams of Red Cross volunteers, trained in emergency response, are still on site in four of the municipalities impacted by flooding: Saint-Jean, Sainte-Blaise, Saint-Paul-de-l’Île-aux-Noix and Sainte-Anne-de-Sabrevois. They receive people affected by the disaster at reception and information centres (7 days a week, from 9 am to 9 pm) and take care of relocating families in area hotels and motels located as close as possible to their home. In accordance with each person’s needs, in addition to moral support and comfort during such difficult times, volunteers provide vouchers for food and/or new clothing. Meeting with volunteers who listen attentively and share a few caring words goes a long way to lifting the spirits of those who feel the need to talk during such trying times.

To date, over 270 volunteers have taken it in turns to work in the various reception and information centres set up throughout the region over the last few weeks, during which time they have provided assistance to some 2000 people.

How can I help? Given the scope of the needs, on May 7th, the Red Cross announced that it was launching a fundraising campaign to help the people affected by flooding in Quebec. The assistance provided through this fund is a complement to the relief program implemented by the Quebec government and will be used to meet the basic needs of residents affected by the disaster as they begin the recovery phase.

To date, thanks to the generosity of individual donors as well as of businesses and partners, the Red Cross has raised over $480,000. Recovery efforts are just beginning and our long-standing experience in the field of disaster response tells us that we will be dealing with monumental needs. Estimates show that in the Montérégie alone, 3500 homes have been affected!

For those who wish to lend a hand, it is still time to make a donation: online or by phone (www.redcross.ca / 1 800 418-1111), at any Quebec financial institution, at participating Métro and Super C grocery stores throughout Quebec, at Rona and Réno Dépôt stores, at Couche-Tard or at pharmacies affiliated with the PROXIM banner locations and at any IGA grocery store in the Montérégie region.