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In less than one day, people in Greater Victoria donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to help those pushed to the edge by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Rapid Relief Fund was launched Saturday by the Times Colonist, the Victoria Foundation and the Jawl family with the goal of raising $1 million in one week for COVID-19 emergency relief in the community.

The money will be put to use in Greater Victoria within days.

“I just can’t believe the warmth and the generosity from the community in just such a short time — and this is just the start of it,” said Sandra Richardson, chief executive officer of the Victoria Foundation. 

“But this community is amazing at a time like this. It gives that little shot in the arm to the sector that is daily asking ‘Now what?’ It’s looking at food and shelter and all the things that some of us can take for granted. I’m feeling really great about the results so far.”

The Victoria Foundation and the Jawl family kicked off the drive with donations of $250,000 and $100,000, respectively.

By Saturday evening, donations had topped $800,000, and several large donations will be announced in the coming days.

The first $1 million will go to the Mustard Seed, the Stan Hagen Centre for Families, the Salvation Army Addiction and Rehabilitation Centre, the Food Share Network and the Coalition of Neighbourhood Houses Capital Region. Once the initial goal is met, the campaign will continue and additional agencies will be funded to support ongoing needs and eventual recovery efforts. 

The Rapid Relief Fund is a glimmer of hope right now, Richardson said.

“And it’s typical of Victoria. Over the years, this community has a magic glue to it. In times of crisis, it really comes together and steps up. It’s very hopeful for a community this size to see the response.”

“This is an extraordinary time, unprecedented in our lives,” said Dave Obee, editor and publisher of the Times Colonist.

“Many in the community are suffering. If we all work together, we can help everyone get through this, and we will emerge stronger.”

The response has been “fantastic,” he said. “It proves once again that Greater Victoria is a caring, compassionate place. We should all be proud to be part of this community.”

Organizers are calling on local businesses, foundations, families, individuals — anyone and everyone who is able — to make a contribution. Donations can be made online by credit card, as well as via cheque, PayPal, Interac e-transfer (for donations over $5,000) or gifts of securities, and tax receipts will be issued. Information and donation options can be found at RapidReliefFund.ca.

The breadth and immediacy of the current needs in our community are profound and many resource gaps exist,” said Robert Jawl of the Jawl Foundation.

“Encouragingly, this past week has been filled with inspiring anecdotes of business, non-profits, governments and individuals co-operating and swinging into action like never before. This immediate and broad-based engagement conveys a clear and unequivocal message: We are in this together and we will get through this together.”

ldickson@timescolonist.com

HOW TO DONATE

• Online at rapidrelieffund.ca. Tax receipts will be issued.

• By mail. Send cheques to the Victoria Foundation at #200 – 703 Broughton Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1E2.

Please ensure they are made out to the Victoria Foundation. Note the ‘Rapid Relief Fund’ in the memo line or in a cover letter. If you are open to receiving your tax receipt by PDF, please include an email address with your donation.