Non-profits look to Fort McMurray benefit concert for needed funds

Struggling non-profit agencies in Fort McMurray are hoping money raised at the Fire Aid benefit concert at Edmonton'sCommonwealth Stadium next weekwill helpthem get up and running.

"The concert is one way that we'll be able to raise a significant amount of money so that we're prepared,that we have the money there so we can respond immediately," saidDiane Shannon,executive director of the United Way in FortMcMurray.

• Nickelback, Corb Lund, Ian Tyson line up to play Fire Aid for Fort McMurray

Shannon said the challenges facing the non-profits are tremendous.

"Half of my team is still scattered across the country. Some of them losttheir homes," Shannon said in EdmontonFriday.

Four of her eight full-time staff whoare in FortMcMurrayare having a difficult time gettingto the office, she said.

"All of themhave children under 10 that require caregivers," said Shannon. "Every one of them lost their child care."

The United Way is luckier than many othernon-profit agencies in FortMcMurray. Whilemost are notyet functional, the United Wayisaimingto re-open July 4.

"The offices will be clean and enough staff will be returned to make a difference in delivering programs again," she said.

Greater mental health challenges

Returning evacueesare experiencing greater mental health challenges than anticipated.Shannon counts herself among those people.

"Driving back into town I was overwhelmed with the feelings of the losses we'd experienced," she said.

Shannon said it's known from previous disasters thatseniors who felt isolated before will feel even more soas manyof their supports are gone.

Low-income people will struggle to replace what they've lost, or may not have the means to properly clean their homes.

Domestic violence is known to increase following disasters, Shannon added, because families are isolated from their supports.

Shannon doesn't have a goal for how much she would like to see raised by the benefit. But she saysorganizers wantto exceed the $2.3 millionraised for Alberta flood victims in 2013.

But the revenue is desperately needed, she said.

"We'll be able to get the program going, get the staff hired, get the supplies requiredimmediatelyso that we can help people."