The Local Love in a Global Crisis Fund aims to help overwhelmed service providers who are on the frontlines of care. (UWCNVI)

By Spencer Sterritt

COMMUNITY CHARITY

Fund established for overwhelmed and critical Nanaimo service providers

Mar 20, 2020 | 4:44 PM

NANAIMO — Service providers at the frontlines of helping vulnerable populations are being overwhelmed as the COVID-19 crisis escalates.

Signy Madden, executive director of the United Way Central and Northern Vancouver Island, said with so many organizations being volunteer-based, social distancing and self-isolation has led to many close offices.

“Two service agencies have totally shut down because they’re volunteer-based. So I get a call from another service agency saying they have three times the number of folks coming for food and checkups and they don’t have the funding or staff for it,” Madden told NanaimoNewsNOW. “Those are conversations we’re having pretty much every couple of hours.”

There’s now a donation drive ongoing to support the organizations hit hardest by COVID-19 measures. The Local Love in a Global Crisis Fund is now happening across Canada, funneling donations to those on the frontlines.

“We’re trying to respond quickly. Every other day we’re meeting nationally and talking about what’s happening where. We knew there’s a crunch time for a lot of our service providers and a lot of gaps.”

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Madden said the three major areas funding will be directed to are homelessness, seniors and food security.

“We know from statistics across Canada and elsewhere, if the street populations don’t have a quarantine in place it’s going to be a real problem. That’s the most immediate need in terms of getting on top of this before it becomes an issue.”

Steps have been taken at Nanaimo shelters, such as the Unitarian shelter removing some beds to create more space between clients. Madden said those steps are effective for now but a new alternative will be needed if someone contracts COVID-19.

Madden said conversations are ongoing with provincial and federal governments to access announced funds for such programs to help the most vulnerable during the COVID-19 crisis.

The United Way Central and Northern Vancouver Island provides an up-to-date list of available services in the region at bc211 for those in need.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit