Covid-19 Relief Fund for Ottawa and Area Workers
Applications for the third round of funding are now closed. We will be reviewing applications and contacting all eligible recipients about whether they will be receiving funds very soon.
Background
As of Tuesday, March 17, thousands of Ottawa's minimum wage workers, small business owners and self-employed people are out of work with no other source of income due to COVID-19 related closures.
While help is on the way (for some) from the federal government, it will not be available to all, and it will likely not be enough to make it through this crisis.
Who Is Organizing This Fundraiser?
Debbie Owusu-Akyeeah and Luna Allison are co-organizing this fundraiser. They both live, work and do community organizing in Ottawa and have stepped up in the hopes of providing much-needed financial support to local community members who are struggling to make ends meet right now.
Debbie (left) is one of the core organizers of Ottawa's Dyke March and is a social change campaigner with Oxfam Canada. Luna Allison (right) is a theatre artist, activist and digital marketing strategist with Oxfam Canada.
Why Are Luna and Debbie Doing This?
Luna started this fundraiser after her partner's workplace shut down as part of the order to close all of Ottawa's "non-essential" businesses. While her partner is fortunate in that their employer has decided to continue to pay wages during the closure (and won't be receiving any money from this relief fund), many others aren't so lucky and have been left with nothing. She felt something had to be done to support others who were left high and dry with no warning – and with no savings or other supports to fall back on.
Debbie got involved because she saw firsthand how this was impacting her community members. She knew others would know many people in similar situations. Helping organize people to support a cause like this is just one way Debbie wants to spread care during this time of uncertainty.
Why Should You Give?
Because you care. Because this is our community, and we need to take care of each other. Because all of our lives have been turned upside down by COVID-19, but not all of us are paying a heavy financial price by going without income.
If you can afford to give – even $20 – it will make a huge difference. Let's not allow our neighbours to go hungry when we can do something to help?
Since launching this fundraiser, several people have reached out to Debbie and Luna asking how soon they can apply to the fund for essentials like groceries and formula and prescriptions that have run out. They talk about their incomes drying up and how their children, siblings or parents are counting on them, and they don't know where else to turn for help.
Our community needs survival money RIGHT NOW. Will you step up and give to this fund to ensure no one slips through the cracks?
How Will It Work?
We have distributed funds in two rounds of grants so far. Each time, we distributed $100 to more than 40 people around the National Capital Region who were lacking even the basics, like food in the fridge and medication. Overall, we have already given out more than 80 grants of $100 each. We have just closed applications for a third round of funding in which we plan to do the same.
Who Is Eligible?
In order to be eligible, recipients must live in the National Capital Region and be currently out of work or have lost work or income because of COVID-19.
How Will You Vet Recipients?
While we will be asking specific questions about loss of work, we will be operating on an honour system about that information. A grassroots community-based fundraiser such as this is about offering our community a social safety net, and a certain level of trust is required to extend that support. Recipients will not be investigated by us, though a proof of address will be requested to ensure the support is going to members of our local community. Grants will be distributed by e-transfer.
If you can give, please give generously and immediately. People need money for things like groceries and bills asap. Let's not allow our community members to go without fundamental things like food!
Applications for the third round of funding are now closed. We will be reviewing applications and contacting all eligible recipients about whether they will be receiving funds very soon.
