When intense rain hit Cape Breton Labour Day weekend, Richmond County residents Kesha Bodawala and Logan MacInnis weren’t just hearing about the damages, they were seeing it firsthand.
The region was hit with 200 mm or more of rain, triggering devastating flooding and a local state of emergency.
According to Bodawala, Foundation Co-Founder of the MacWala Foundation, roads were split open, driveways were washed out and residents were left facing repair bills they hadn’t planned for.
That experience prompted the MacWala Foundation to step outside its regular grant programs and offer emergency financial assistance to people affected by the flooding.
Bodawala says the decision came after seeing the destruction while travelling around the community.
The foundation made grants of between $100 and $250 available to help residents deal with some of the immediate costs.
“We just thought that we have the means, so if we could help at least a few of the people, that would be great,” Bodawala says.
She acknowledges that a grant of $100-$250 isn’t going to rebuild a badly damaged driveway.
But it could help pay for a load of gravel, cleanup costs or other expenses that can make an immediate difference for a family trying to get back on its feet.
The response from residents was much larger than the foundation expected.
Bodawala says approximately 40 applications were received, eventually forcing the foundation to close its application form because of the volume of requests. Even after applications closed, people continued reaching out through the foundation’s website.
That left the foundation with a difficult task: deciding who could receive assistance.
In addition, Co-Founder MacInnis says applicants were asked to provide photographs and descriptions of the damage. Applications were then assessed according to need and severity.
Some residents experienced extensive damage to driveways, while others were unable to get in or out of their homes.
One application involved a St. Peter’s resident who was ill and whose driveway had become impassable to an ambulance. MacInnis says that situation immediately became a top priority.
But there simply isn’t enough money available to fund every application.
MacInnis estimates the foundation will be able to help only 25 to 30 per cent of those who applied. He says. “I wish it was more.”
The emergency flood assistance is also separate from the foundation’s regular work.
The MacWala Foundation was established to support the Richmond County community through several different programs. Its work includes scholarships for people pursuing local trades education, a sports fund to help families get children involved in sports, and a community fund supporting local projects.
MacInnis says the flood grants are above and beyond the foundation’s regular funding commitments.
The foundation normally has a goal of providing about $1,000 a month for its other community initiatives.
For residents affected by the flooding, though, the foundation felt the circumstances demanded something extra.
The foundation’s emergency response is another example of local organizations stepping forward as Richmond County continues to recover.
