COVID-19 rapid tests and masks for community organizations
Keeping organizations and your communities safer through the Stop the Spread and Stay Safe! program.
The Canadian Red Cross, worked in partnership with Health Canada and provincial and territorial authorities, to provide free take-home COVID-19 rapid tests and masks to eligible non-profits and charities to help keep their personnel and the people they serve safer.
The Stop the Spread and Stay Safe! program provided individuals and families with tools to manage their risks and health decisions in the pandemic, in addition to getting vaccinated and following other public health measures. Eligible non-profits and charities received free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests and masks for them to distribute to their personnel, clients and partner organizations for them to use at home.
The deadline for submitting applications was extended to February 10, 2023. Applications for this program have now closed.
Which organizations were eligible?
Eligible organizations were required to:
- Be a charity or a non-profit organization
- Have clients they regularly serve OR have partner organizations that have clients who are regularly served
- Have been willing to distribute rapid antigen tests, masks, and necessary information handouts to their clients
- Report every two weeks on how many rapid antigen tests have been distributed for the duration of the program.
The Canadian Red Cross recognized the need for rapid antigen tests and masks in many communities but had a limited supply of both items. As such, preference may have been given to organizations that:
- Were able to safely distribute rapid antigen tests and masks directly to clients
- Were working with or supporting people from newcomer, racialized and/or urban Indigenous communities;
- Were working with or supporting people who are living in low-income and/or essential workers
- Served as regional hubs to urban or rural areas
Rapid tests for Indigenous Peoples
Provincial and territorial health departments are the primary source of access to rapid COVID-19 tests for all residents, including Indigenous Peoples. If there are challenges for Indigenous communities in accessing rapid tests, please contact Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) regional offices or your local health authority for assistance.
Resources for applicants
Those interested in applying were encouraged to consult the following documents prior to submitting their applications. These documents comply with accessibility standards.
Have Questions?
We are happy to connect with you! You can reach us by email at COVID19ScreeningProgram@redcross.ca.
FRAUD NOTICE: The Canadian Red Cross will never ask for your banking information or credit card information (except when you are making a donation). Extremely limited personal information and no financial deposits or contributions are required at the point of application, or at any time for the Stop the Spread and Stay Safe! program. Unfortunately, bad actors see health emergencies and disasters as an opportunity to commit fraud against those impacted and organizations like the Canadian Red Cross.
If you receive an email or phone call from someone posing as the Canadian Red Cross, when in doubt, you can:
- Email COVID19ScreeningProgram@redcross.ca to validate that the outreach is from the Canadian Red Cross.