Crisis Response

Your generosity—delivered to those who need it most

When a crisis occurs at home or abroad, donors with Family Foundation accounts at Canada Gives are ready and able to deliver immediate assistance. Our Crisis Support page provides a source of information on current humanitarian situations—from natural disasters to wars and pandemics—featuring background details and reports on charitable organizations actively working in affected areas, along with others that offer support and programs for recovery. Our team is available to consult on crisis-related giving options* and to manage your specific grant requests.

*Canada Gives is not aligned with any specific charity.

Learn more about current crisis situations

Hurricane Fiona Relief Pakistan Flooding Ukraine Relief

Canada Gives facilitates the individual giving goals of our DAF donors and supports the organizations that they recommend.

When a crisis occurs, we’re often asked to provide ideas and suggestions. Our team conducts independent research and recommends charitable organizations based on specific criteria that we feel is most important in sending aid to war zones or areas hit by natural disaster.

The charities on our list have:

Been working in the specific country for many years
Established strong relationships and safe funding channels
Remained culturally aligned
Done work that is easily transferrable to aiding in the crisis
Been well established in Canada for many years
A long and successful track record of creating impact
Consistently spent 90%+ of revenue on their programs
Incurred consistently low administration and fundraising costs

Supporting Maritimers impacted by Hurricane Fiona

Meteorologists predicted that Hurricane Fiona would be one of the worst ever storms to batter Canada’s east coast. Their forecasts proved chillingly accurate. By the time it reached Canada as a tropical storm, Fiona’s force was enough to cause major flooding, storm surges and to produce wind gusts of more than 170 km/h in some areas. Widespread property damage has been reported across the Maritimes—Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, southeastern New Brunswick and parts of Eastern Quebec, including the Magdalen Islands—setting locals on a long road to recovery.

Hundreds of thousands of residents have been without power as the clean-up begins and affected Maritimers and Quebecers take stock of the damage. Charitable organizations across the region and nationally have begun organizing relief efforts to support those displaced by this unprecedented weather event. The federal government has since announced that it will match donations to the Canadian Red Cross until Oct. 23, 2022.

As is always the case when disaster strikes, our generous Foundation account holders are stepping up to lend their support to region-wide recovery efforts. Our Client Services team has prepared a list of Canadian charities* that are currently providing aid to Eastern Canada. This selection of vetted support organizations includes the Canadian Red Cross and local food banks that have both provincial and local reach, enabling them to provide relief to smaller centres.

*Canada Gives is not aligned with any specific charity.

See the Charity Reports

Canada Gives Foundation account holders can make grant requests through their Donor Portal accounts. For more information on Hurricane Fiona relief, they can also contact a member of our Client Services team.

We’ve also established a dedicated Hurricane Fiona Support Fund to accept direct donations that will be distributed among one or more charities providing aid across the region. Click on the link to make a donation now.

Donate Now

Providing aid to flood-ravaged areas of Pakistan

While many countries in South Asia experience flooding as part of their annual monsoon cycles, on occasion floodwaters reach extreme levels. In Pakistan this year, the storm surge has been nothing short of catastrophic. The country of more than 240 million people has been devastated by flooding that, until recently, left about a third of its territory underwater and has more than 660,000 people living in relief camps.

According to the latest reports, food, shelter and fresh water are in short supply, while diseases such as cholera and malaria are flourishing due to the effect on local sanitation and water systems. Pakistan’s agriculture sector—one of its main drivers of export revenue—has been largely compromised, complicating the local government’s efforts to provide food to affected citizens.

Many Canada Gives Foundation account holders have expressed interest in supporting aid efforts in the region. In response, our Client Services team has prepared a list of Canadian charities delivering relief or services to Pakistan, all of which have been vetted using our due diligence process.* The federal government has announced that it will match donations made by Canadians to any of the charities that are part of the coalition to support Pakistan, which includes the five outlined below.

*Canada Gives is not aligned with any specific charity.

See the Charity Reports

Foundation account holders can visit our Donor Portal to make a grant request, or contact a member of our Client Services team to learn more.

To make a direct donation to relief efforts through Canada Gives’ dedicated Pakistan Support Fund—the proceeds of which are being directed toward one or more Pakistan-focused charities—click on the link.

Donate Now

Supporting people impacted by the Ukraine War

The conflict in Ukraine has resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crises since the Second World War. From the earliest moments of the conflict, Canada Gives Foundation clients have been relentless in their efforts to support Ukrainian refugees, along with citizens still living in the country. In response—and to help you provide support as the situation on the ground evolves—our Client Services team has compiled a list of some of the Canadian charities delivering aid or services to Ukraine, all of which have cleared our rigorous due diligence process. Contact our team today to make a grant request or to enquire about any other organizations.

See the Charity Reports

To make a direct donation to relief efforts through Canada Gives’ dedicated Ukraine Support Fund—the proceeds of which are being directed toward one or more Ukraine-focused charities—click on the link.

Donate Now

Make a difference in crisis situations

Let’s work together to provide support to the people and regions that need it most.

Canada Gives Charitable Registration #83306 2144 RR0001.
You can find us in the Charities Directorate at www.cra-arc.gc.ca

Head Office: #203 – 40 Huron St, Collingwood ON L9Y 4R3 – 1 (844) 583-4483

Regional Office: #2500 – 120 Adelaide St W, Toronto ON M5H 1T1 – 1 (844) 583-4483

Canada Gives offices are located on the traditional territory of Indigenous peoples dating back countless generations. We want to show our respect for their contributions and recognize the role of treaty making in what is now Canada. Hundreds of years after the first treaties were signed, they are still relevant today. We seek to do better, to continue to recognize, learn, and grow—in friendship and community, Nation-to-Nation.

Canada Gives Charitable Registration #83306 2144 RR0001.
You can find us in the Charities Directorate at www.cra-arc.gc.ca

Head Office: #203 – 40 Huron St, Collingwood ON L9Y 4R3 – 1 (844) 583-4483

Regional Office: #2500 – 120 Adelaide St W, Toronto ON M5H 1T1 – 1 (844) 583-4483