RY Royal Bank of Canada

Donation will bolster volunteer recruitment and critical support to those affected by natural disasters

TORONTO, Aug. 3, 2022 /CNW/ - The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and the RBC Foundation today announced its support of the Canadian Red Cross to strengthen its emergency response services across the country with $2 million in cash donations and $1 million of in-kind support over the next three years.

As one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the world, the Canadian Red Cross supports individuals, small businesses, and community partners impacted by emergencies including natural disasters. They do this through a team of highly-trained emergency management experts, staff, and volunteers who are in communities across Canada and ready for deployment at a moment's notice.

Canada could see an increase in consecutive or simultaneous major emergencies and the Red Cross is anticipating responding to more than 230 disasters over the next 10 years. With this in mind, it is critical that Canadians focus on emergency preparedness, allowing them to better manage during and following an emergency event. Emergency preparedness may also help to reduce loss of life, the negative effects on mental health and impacts on our communities.

• Targeted recruiting of rapid responders and volunteers to manage emergencies in their communities and across Canada.
• Expert training for responders and volunteers to set up field hospitals, run virtual operations, and conduct needs assessments.
• Capacity building to support team deployments within 24-72 hours, shifting resources seamlessly within and between the operations of many sites.
• Skills-based volunteering with RBC senior leadership and experts, focused on research and analysis, implementation, and evaluation to appropriately engage with people in their time of need. Advising on training, community engagement and emergency response practices with a focus on gender inclusivity and cultural sensitivity to align with the needs of diverse communities across Canada.

"When a natural disaster strikes, Canadians ask "How can I help?," said Mark Beckles, Vice-President, Social Impact & Innovation, RBC. "This partnership between RBC and the Canadian Red Cross, will enable Canadians to do just that - help. We are providing RBCers and Canadians with the tools and training to prepare for the worst case scenarios."

This partnership between the Red Cross and RBC will help empower the Red Cross to continue to build its capacity to respond to emergencies and build resilient communities across Canada.

"RBC is a valued partner of Canadian Red Cross, and this support will help us to increase our expertise and presence in communities across Canada," said Jean-Philippe Tizi, Chief Emergency Officer, Canadian Red Cross. "This additional capacity will help our teams to be well-positioned to respond as we continue to face an increasing number of emergencies across the country."

Here in Canada and overseas, the Red Cross stands ready to help people before, during and after a disaster. As a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – which is made up of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and 192 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies – the Canadian Red Cross is dedicated to helping people and communities in Canada and around the world in times of need and supporting them in strengthening their resilience.

Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 89,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.

We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact.

SOURCE RBC