Red Deer & District Community Foundation has joined efforts to raise money to rebuild playgrounds and other social infrastructure destroyed or damaged in the Fort McMurray wildfire.
A total of 13 foundations, including some outside Alberta, have created the Rebuilding Fort McMurray Flow Through Fund.
The fund, which has raised about $1.34 million so far, will fund projects focused on restoring and enhancing community infrastructure.
Kristine Bugayong, Red Deer foundation CEO, said the RDDCF Board allocated $10,000 from its Smart and Caring Communities Endowment Fund towards the rebuilding fund and has so far received $1,000 from a community member.
The rebuilding fund remains open for donations from the Red Deer area. Every donation will be eligible for a tax receipt. The fund will not be invested to grow, but will be used for immediate projects identified by community organizations in Fort McMurray in partnership with participating foundations.
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Bugayong said social infrastructure would include projects like parks, community halls, wherever people would gather that would enhance their quality of life.
“This is a different need than what we responded to a month ago. There’s quite a bit of effort that needs to be put into the rebuilding,” Bugayong said on Wednesday.
The fund also supports Fort McMurray which does not have a community foundation, she said.
“We wanted to make sure that we make the people in Fort McMurray feel they are supported by a community foundation.”
For more information about Rebuilding Fort McMurray Flow Through Fund visit www.rddcf.ca.
szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com