United for Resilience: How Community and Support Rebuilt Hope After Wildfires
In the Summer of 2023, Fern moved to the North Shuswap with her five kids when the devastating Bush Creek wildfire raged through.
In the Summer of 2023, Fern moved from the Okanagan to the North Shuswap with her five kids to a little cottage that had been in her family since the 60s, surrounded by the beautiful forest of the region. She started renovating their new home, and in the meantime, they set up their tents to camp in the backyard.
What was supposed to be a fun and exciting summer family adventure ended up becoming a nightmare when the devastating Bush Creek wildfire raged through.
“I could see where the fire started from my house, and it was pretty overwhelming. The smoke was terrible! All of our belongings were outside with us, so everything was covered in ash,” Fern remembers. “We were evacuated, and when we came back after a month, my house wasn’t destroyed, but we didn’t have anything to eat. Our food storage was ransacked by bears, and the power had been out for weeks, so all the food in the fridge and freezer was spoiled.”
Following the wildfire, United Way British Columbia offered the Wildfire Recovery Fund to local organizations that could provide support to the region as they tried to recover. The Eagle Valley Community Support Society (EVCSS) was one recipient of a United Way BC grant and they used the dollars to set up a temporary emergency food access program.
As United Way BC has evolved over the years, we’ve embraced an expanded role that tackles critical social issues at the local level. This includes responding to emergencies like wildfires.
United Way BC’s Wildfire Recovery Fund provides immediate and long-term support to those affected by wildfires in the province. It has been helping a variety of programs and essential supports that are critical to residents as they recover emotionally and physically from the devastation of wildfires. Funds go toward addressing important needs like food assistance, gas cards for evacuees fleeing their homes, mental health supports, and more.
“The fund could be used for a wide variety of supports, so we had conversations with community members to know where they felt the gaps were. For many residents, the most significant concern was food security,” explains Debbie Thompson (photo), project leader at EVCSS and a resident of the North Shuswap.
“It was a very aggressive fire. Everyone in the community was either directly affected or very close to someone who was. When you can’t work, or your job burnt down, or you can’t get home, the impact on the community is massive. It felt like the world was ending,” expressed Fern.
The challenge of food security in remote areas
In 2022, almost 17% or 857,000 British Columbians lived in a food-insecure household. For children under 18, the number is much higher at nearly 22%. “In the North Shuswap, food security has always been an issue, but it has become much worse after the wildfires,” says Debbie. “There’s a lack of resources available to the community due to geographical challenges that make accessing affordable food much more complicated due to distance, cost of transportation, and other factors.”
On top of increased costs of food, housing, and gas to access food security programs, North Shuswap’s families were facing home and job losses. “Housing was so expensive that I was barely scraping by just to pay my house bills. So, it leaves you in a position where you have to choose between paying rent or feeding your kids. It can be really scary, having to survive instead of thrive,” says Fern.
More than just food: nurturing, healthy, appropriate food
Communities need both nutritious and appropriate food, especially with housing being so expensive. Fern is celiac, has an auto-immune disease, and other food allergies, so she needs a very particular type of nutrition to feel well.
“I have accessed food banks where I couldn’t eat anything from the whole box of food. But at the emergency food bank, they’re so accommodating about it. They want to make sure I can eat everything that’s in my box. It’s been such a positive experience in terms of how thoughtful and caring they are about everybody’s individual needs,” Fern highlights. “I always make sure that my kids’ needs are met first, so without this support, I’d often end up without appropriate food for myself. Gluten-free things are three times more expensive, and now I can have access to them.”
Fern had a severe concussion and wasn’t able to work, which made things even more stressful. That’s when she decided to use her time to help the community. “One day, we were chatting about food security at the church and how I’ve worked in community gardens and food banks before. They suggested I connect with Debbie, which I did, and she promptly invited me to volunteer! Since then, I’ve been helping the food bank while also using it to feed my family,” she says.
A stronger community through food security and resilience
The EVCSS emergency food access program began in February, 2024. “On the first Hamper Day, we handed out eight hampers. We are now averaging upwards of 25 hampers. This project will now be a permanent fixture in our community,” says Debbie proudly.
“The community benefits from this program in so many ways… Not only people who are receiving the hampers but also other community members and local businesses. They are so thankful that now there is a food security program in the North Shuswap. Our community has become much stronger since the wildfires as we continue to work together to recover,” she says.
Hamper Days are held every two weeks between 1:00 and 3:00 pm at the North Shuswap Community Hall, ensuring access to nutritious food, which is crucial to all aspects of overall well-being and economic stability. The program is helping reduce some of the financial burden on families, contributing to long-term recovery and sustainability.
Bringing together the power of many
The EVCSS emergency food bank proves how vital it can be for a community to have resources like the Wildfire Recovery Fund. Every community and its members are susceptible to being in a situation that can change someone’s life completely, and the impact on mental health is enormous. People need to heal not only materially and financially, but also emotionally.
Unfortunately, we have seen an increasing number of wildfires each year, affecting communities in devastating ways. Statistically speaking, 2023 was the worst wildfire season on record.
The need for assistance doesn’t stop when the immediate crisis ends. United Way BC is committed to the well-being of our communities, working alongside those affected throughout the recovery process to help create long-term sustainability. We respond quickly and work with community leaders and partners to meet local and individual needs.
To learn more about our impact, please access https://uwbc.ca/wildfires/ and read the United for BC Wildfire Recovery Fund – 2023 Report.
United for hope, recovery, and food security
Fern (photo) and her family are dedicated to growing their own food when possible and to supporting those who aren’t able to do so. “Food security is so important to me; it’s my passion! It’s amazing to be able to access a local food bank and, at the same time, be involved in bringing food to community. It’s wonderful to see what people can do when they are united for a common purpose,” she exclaims.
In a time of crisis, when people are in desperate need, initiatives like the emergency food bank can make an incredible difference, as it did for Fern. “I wouldn’t have been able to feed my family without it. But when people come together and donate, it makes it possible to survive. I hope that everyone in my community can have their needs met after this wildfire. Thanks to United Way BC Wildfire Recovery Fund, there’s hope for that.”
Let’s be UNITED for people in need. Donate generously. “When people see the generosity of other people, it makes them want to do good things in their communities. It comes back, like planting seeds,” concludes Fern.