1

It wasn't so long ago that delivering aid in times of crisis, whether in Canada or elsewhere, inevitably took the form of distributing goods (blankets, food, water, and other essentials) and services (shelter, first aid, and so on). But in recent years, the Red Cross has also taken a new approach, one that utilizes the latest technology and empowers people who are affected by emergencies to access cash and purchase items most needed by their family.

Mohammed Sunba shares his experiences of volunteering with the Red Cross: he started nearly two years ago to support people who have been impacted by personal disasters, such as house fires and floods. The Alberta fire response is the largest disaster Mohammed has been a part of as a Red Cross volunteer.

Earlier this summer in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, I participated in Exploring Humanitarian Law educator training, a program. This free session is sponsored by the Canadian Red Cross with support from Global Affairs Canada, and introduced us to an education program that’s designed to help students aged 13 to 18 learn about humanitarian action, international law and justice. 

Swim instructors Kaitlin Perry and Breena Rusnell always knew their work went far beyond teaching children how to do the front crawl or how to tread water.  Read how the swim instructors are helping their students and community recover from the devastating Alberta wildfires. 

With summer still providing hot weather throughout many parts of Canada, it's important for everyone enjoying the outdoors to know how to prevent heat emergencies. Let Hudson show you how to deal with the dog days of summer.

The Round-up offers a weekly sample of what our sister Red Cross Societies are working on around the world. Here is an update on Red Cross response to flooding in the United States, and earthquakes in Italy and Myanmar.

Approximately 90 newcomers including Syrian refugees attended the Canadian Red Cross Water Safety Preparedness Picnic last weekend in Stratford, Prince Edward Island. With barbecued food, good company, fun games as well as information on water safety, it was a great day for all who took part in the event held at Pondside Park. Check out these great photos from the day!

UNA-Canada’s Sport-in-a-Box program was developed in 2005 with the intention of using sport to combat discrimination and racism. Since then, the program has spread to communities across Canada, including Fort McMurray in February 2016. However, plans to expand Sport-in-a-Box to other youth-serving organizations in Fort McMurray were put on hold after the program lost its materials, and resources on the ground, to the wildfires in May.