General News and Announcements

September 14, 2010

On September 12, the Government of Canada announced it is extending the deadline for contributions to its Pakistan Floods Relief Fund to October 3, 2010.

For every eligible donation made by individual Canadians to Canadian registered charities, such as The United Church of Canada, raising funds in response to the floods, the government will continue to match those donations dollar for dollar until October 3. This gives United Church members additional time to raise and donate funds for matching by the Canadian government.

For details on how the government’s matching fund program works, visit Access to Government Haiti Fund: What Does “Matching” Mean?

"The impact of the floods in Pakistan is immense,” said Bev Oda, Minister for International Cooperation in the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) news release* announcing the extension. “Our government will continue to support meeting the immediate needs of those affected as well as look to the long-term recovery needs of those who saw their homes, farms and livelihoods destroyed…. I encourage all Canadians over the next three weeks to support the flood victims in Pakistan in their greatest hour of need."

For details on how to make a donation through the United Church, go to Pakistan Flooding: How United Church Members Can Help. Visit the Pakistan Appeal page for the latest appeal updates, news, and resources.

For further information, contact:

• Gary W. Kenny
  Program Co-ordinator for Southern Africa and Emergency Response
  Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations Unit (JGER)
  Tel: 416-231-5931 ext. 4013
  Toll-free: 1-800-268-3781 ext. 4051
  E-mail: Gary Kenny