Water bottle donations 'overwhelming,' says Bissell Centre
The Bissell Centre has received a large donation of bottled water amidst the summer heat wave.
A west Edmonton branch of Canadian insurance company ‘Westland Insurance’ dropped off two pallets of bottled water to the centre Thursday afternoon.
The delivery follows an urgent call from the Bissell Centre, asking for bottled water donations to help keep unhoused Edmontonians hydrated during Alberta’s summer heat wave.
Scarlet Vjornson, marketing and communications coordinator at the Bissell Centre, says there has been a steady stream of traffic dropping water off all day.
“Edmonton is the greatest city maybe on the planet for the response that they do for people in need,” said Vjornson.
“They always go above and beyond, they always meet the need. And on top of it, they bring in a truck load of water and they’re saying, ‘Give us a call, let us know what else you need’.”
Now with more water than they can store, the Bissell Centre is directing its extra donations to other organizations in the city.
“We’re sending people everywhere else that’s put out a call,” said Vjornson.
The Edmonton Food bank, the Mustard Seed, George Spady Centre, Boyle Street Community and Operation Friendship Seniors Society are all still in need of water to help support Edmontonians experiencing homelessness across the city.
Vjorson says heat waves can lead to a number of issues for the community including heatstroke, sunburn, and in some cases an increased risk of overdose due to dehydration.
The Bissell Centre has now switched their call out from bottled water to requesting light summer clothing, sunscreen, hats, and bug spray.
Donations can be made to the Bissell Centre at 10527 96 St., between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Friday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.