Confusion reigns as wildfire victims seek financial help in Tantallon

Sherease MacCraken is used to barely making ends meet.

The past few weeks have become tougher for the single mother and her two daughters. They were among more than 16,000 residents forced from their homes last month during the Tantallon wildfires.

MacCraken works as a cook in a restaurant in downtown Halifax. She shares a basement apartment in Hammonds Plains with her girls.

Her house was spared in the disaster and she says she is grateful for that.

Still, the ordeal cost her about $1,000 — a financial blow she can’t afford.

When she finally got home last weekend, almost all the food in the fridge was spoiled. She did not have the money to replenish the food she had lost.

So her fridge remained empty for almost a week. She succeeded.

Most days she brought home a plate of food from work and shared it with her girls. She also dipped into her rent money. Her landlord is understanding and has given her a break until she can pay.

MacCraken is looking for financial help, but can’t find it. She contacted her councillor, but said it was of little help.

She got names from a few non-profit organizations to help her make ends meet. She had already gone that route to get some essentials from the Royal Canadian Legion in Seabright. The SPCA was also a great help with her pets.

“I appreciate that help so much, but I’m just looking for some money to get me through it,” MacCraken said Thursday. “I live from paycheck to paycheck and I still have to wait a week and a half before I get paid. It just sucks that nothing is available in between.”

Early on, the county was quick to offer some cash to people displaced by the wildfires. The one-time $500 lump sum didn’t go far in MacCraken’s case. She used the money to pay for food and other necessities: clothes and toiletries for her and her children. She stayed in her mother’s apartment and slept on an armchair sofa.

Lots of phone calls

Sarah White, a spokeswoman for United Way Halifax, sympathizes with MacCraken. Last week, White said the organization was getting a lot of calls from people like the single mom, looking for money to bridge the gap.

The organization has raised more than $1.3 million to help with wildfire relief efforts. That money will not go to individuals, but to non-profit organizations serving some of those most affected by the disaster.

White didn’t even know if the Canadian Red Cross could provide money to people who needed it right away.

“I’m still not sure where to send people,” White said Thursday.

“There’s been a lack of clear communication that I think is confusing people.”

The United Way has so far distributed funds to four organizations in the affected regions, including Emmanuel Baptist Church, St. Nicholas Anglican Church, Upper Hammonds Plains Community Center and Freedom Kitchen and Closet (Knox Church).

Fundraising Red Cross

The Red Cross has a responsibility to get money into people’s hands. The organization launched a fundraising campaign for victims of the forest fires. By the end of last week, nearly $4 million had been raised, according to spokesman Dan Bedell.

About half of that figure is real dollars; the rest are commitments.

Bedell said the organization can provide financial assistance to those who now have an urgent unmet need. He said anyone who falls into that category can call the Red Cross toll-free number at 1-800-863-6582.

He said the organization pays for hotel stays and food for three families.

Bedell admits there has been some confusion about who qualifies for additional financial aid.

The Red Cross pays for the county’s $500 per household relief fund. To get that money, people had to register with the organization.

More than 7,000 households have now received the one-off payment. Bedell said there is a misunderstanding that people who received the lump sum automatically receive more financial aid.

That money will go to families and households in Nova Scotia “those most affected in the most affected areas,” he said. The priority is for those people whose homes have been destroyed and severely damaged and who do not have home insurance.

The county and the FBI have agreed to match the donations dollar for dollar. But that money won’t come until sometime after the fundraiser is over at the end of the month.

Wayne MacKay, a law professor at Dalhousie University, says that when governments spend public money, they need to be clear about who qualifies and how people can get the money. That’s especially true when you’re dealing with marginalized people, MacKay said.

“You have to make sure people know how to get the money, but also how to get it on time,” said the law professor. “They must allow fair access to the funds.”

Ed Duval’s property in Hammonds Plains was also badly damaged by the fire.

Duval’s shed, which housed several expensive power tools, burned down. His well was badly damaged and he lost the water supply to his house. The siding on his house has also melted and there is damage inside the house.

He estimates damage to be at least $40,000. He has home insurance and on Thursday an appraiser came to do an inspection.

For now, Duval rents an apartment in Halifax and struggles to recover. He said he could use some extra money to get him back on his feet. He has not bothered to contact the Red Cross because he is convinced that he is not eligible for help.

“Everything costs so much money now,” Duval said. “It would be nice if there was an easy way for us to get help to get our lives back on track.”

Heather Fairbairn, a spokeswoman for the county’s Emergency Management Office, said if people have immediate needs and are looking for support, they should contact their insurance companies or contact the Red Cross for assistance. She pointed out that the government has provided $2,500 to affected farmers and businesses.

Fairbairn said the county expects municipalities affected by the wildfires to be eligible for assistance through the federal disaster fund assistance scheme. Fairbairn could not say how much money would be available. She said support through the program is “cost-covered.”

“Municipalities would complete the necessary work and then submit the federally required documentation to finalize their claim,” she said.

Marion Gillespie, co-chair of the Hammonds Plains Ratepayers Association, said the county and Halifax Regional Municipality need to do more to make sure the money gets to people who really need it. She said that starts with clear communication about exactly who qualifies for financial aid and how they can get it.

“How are they going to support people who need the money?” asked Gillespie. ‘Where’s the plan? We are talking about families without homes, people who are in desperate situations.”