Responding to Typhoon Haiyan

November 25, 2013

In the aftermath of the devastating typhoon that hit the Philippines, our members have been asking us what they can do to help, how they can get money to family and friends, and how we’re contributing to relief efforts.

Maximize your donation

You can maximize your support for relief efforts by donating directly to the Canadian Red Cross or UNICEF. The Government of Canada is matching individual donations to both humanitarian organizations.

• To donate to the Canadian Red Cross, please visit www.redcross.ca or call 1.800.418.1111. Donations must be earmarked for 'Typhoon Haiyan'.
• To donate to UNICEF, please visit www.unicef.org

Special support for co-operatives in the Philippines

Vancity has also made a donation on behalf its members to the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada to support cooperatives in the Philippines that have been affected by the typhoon. Our donation will help organizations like the National Federation of Co-operatives of Persons with Disability, which provides support and services to persons with disabilities.

Need to send money to family or friends?

For our members who use the SMART Money remittance program, please note that due to current conditions in the Philippines, the SMART servers are currently down and are in the process of being repaired.

In the meantime, wire transfers are available in both USD and CAD funds (exchange rate will be negotiated by the receiving institution). Wire transfers are guaranteed funds estimated to get to the beneficiary within 3 business days. To send a wire transfer, you must bring the following information to a Vancity branch:

• Beneficiary's full name, address and account number
• Beneficiary's financial institution: Full name and branch address

**Incomplete information may lead to delays in processing the payment or return of the payment back to the remitter/sender.