Final Report on CNC Hurricane Irma Fundraising

Keith Ellis, Coordinator, CNC Hurricane Relief Campaign, November, 2018

Sometimes the name of a hurricane can be deceptive with respect to its brutal strength and its malicious endurance. So, it was with Irma that hit northeastern Cuba in the very early morning of Sept. 9, 2017 as a Category 5 hurricane and maintaining winds of up to 270 km/h. Travelling slowly, with lingering cruelty, it began to select targets that it seemed to know would be devastating for the Cuban economy and its defenses, destroying or damaging severely everything from wind gauges to homes, hotels, hospitals, warehouses and factories. But it didn’t succeed in breaking the will of the Cuban people or in making them panic and forget the defensive and early recuperative measures against this strongest hurricane to ever hit Cuba. It didn’t seem stronger than the notorious 1932 Camagüey Hurricane only because of the formidable defensive and protective measures that are now in force in Cuba.

To help in the recuperative effort, Canadians from all parts of the country sent in to the fund established by the Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC) a total of $89,542,00. The main fundraising drive against Irma has now ended, but the deficit faced by Cuba because of the damage caused by Irma and previous hurricanes is great, so Sharon remains available to provide her generous and efficient work of receiving, acknowledging and sending on to Cuba any further donations (Sharon Skup, 56 Riverwood Terrace, Bolton, ON L5E 2S4, Canada).

Every penny of the $89,542.00 went to Cuba, to a fund set up by the Cuban Ministry of State, specifically to receive contributions destined to help Cuba recover from the damage caused by Irma. All incidental expenses such as banking and transfer fees, postal costs, thank you cards/receipts sent to donors,etc., were paid by the CNC.

Our campaign was supported by a deeply felt spirit of solidarity, for which we thank everybody who contributed, for whatever they contributed, and especially the Cuban diplomatic corps for their guidance and their significant material contribution. We hope that Cuba, which suffers much more than enough from plotted malice, will be spared in the future such brutal natural blows as were unleashed by Irma.

Our Heartfelt Thanks to all who donated

Hurricane Irma Relief & Reconstruction for Cuba Campaign

-Isaac Saney, CNC National Spokesperson, September 10, 2017 -

Hurricane Irma menaced and devastated the eastern and northern Caribbean, striking Cuba from September 8-10, resulting in significant and widespread damage. Accompanied by massive flooding, its sweeping destruction encompassed housing, communications, infrastructure, agricultural equipment, crops, and community buildings.

While, we are confident that the Cuban people will overcome any challenges posed by Hurricane Irma, Cuba will, nevertheless, have to expend considerable resources, both immediate and long term, in order to overcome the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Irma.

To assist Cuba in its immense efforts of recovery and reconstruction, the Canadian Network On Cuba (CNC) is launching the Hurricane Irma Relief & Reconstruction for Cuba Campaign.

Donations to the Hurricane Irma Relief & Reconstruction for Cuba Campaign can be made by mailing cheques made out to the Canadian Network On Cuba to: CNC Hurricane Relief, 56 Riverwood Terrace Bolton, ON L7E 1S4. Please write "CNC Hurricane Irma Relief Fund" on your cheque's memo line.

All donations will be forwarded 100% directly to Cuba.

In recent years, the CNC has had a series of successful Hurricane Relief Campaigns. The most recent was in 2016 when Hurricane Matthew struck eastern Cuba, devastating Baracoa, Cuba’s oldest city. In 2008, the CNC’s most extensive campaign was launched when a series of hurricanes caused damage in excess of $10-billion. The CNC not only raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, but also directly participated in the construction of a new social and cultural centre on La Isla de La Juventud (Isle of Youth).

In 2017, as Cuba faces this latest challenge, we are confident that Canadians - as they have repeatedly done - will once again demonstrate their friendship and solidarity with Cuba by supporting the island as it recovers from the ravages of Hurricane Irma.

Our experience with regard to Cuba's response to natural disasters is that it knows how to multiply the value of any donations it receives. We feel confident, based on the island's unsurpassed humanitarian work - both within Cuba and in other countries - that it has the skills, the organization and the ethical and moral values to put whatever assistance it receives to the best possible use.

Even at this difficult time, in the midst of Hurricane Irma’s havoc, Cuba’s deep internationalist spirit has once again been profoundly demonstrated by the sending of more than 750 Cuban health workers to Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Haiti, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, and the Bahamas.

As in past campaigns, we hope that solidarity organizations and individuals will generously support Cuba in its efforts to rebuild after this devastating hurricane.

Send Donations to: CNC Hurricane Relief, 56 Riverwood Terrace Bolton, ON L7E 1S4. Please make cheques out to the Canadian Network On Cuba and write "CNC Hurricane Irma Relief Fund" on your cheque's memo line.

What is the CCFA?

The Canadian-Cuban Friendship Association promotes friendship, understanding and co-operation between the peoples of Canada and Cuba. Our activities include exchanges in various areas (i.e. health, education, culture, etc.) as well as the gathering of material aid to Cuba. It is a registered non-profit, NGO, volunteer organization.

Community Outreach and Other Activities

CCFA members attempt to maintain a presence at other community events and encourage participation in the Association and promote awareness and understanding of the Cuban experience, including its ramifications for Canada. Co-operation with other organizations results in joint events and projects.

Since the CCFA believes in building friendship through understanding and co-operation, the Association works with other groups/organizations in Ontario and across Canada and also in Cuba, on various projects and provides information on Cuba and responds to the media. Special projects are also organized to promote various forms of material aid, provision of medical journals, textbooks, etc. Charitable tax receipts can be given for donations used for medical / educational supplies.

Membership

Membership is open to residents of Canada who support these aims. Upon payment of the annual membership fee, members are entitled to full participation, including voting rights and receiving the Association's newsletter.

Meetings and Cultural Events

Meetings are held a number of times a year and include presentations on contemporary and historical topics such as aspects of Canadian and Cuban relations, the Cuban health system, social development, education, music and culture in general.

Over the years, the CCFA has brought to Canada some of the finest Cuban musicians, writers and films. Each year Canadians share in the cultural richness of Cuba through the Association's celebrations of important Cuban holidays: Jose Marti's birthdate - January 28th; Cuba's National Day - July 26th; and other occasions that the membership may wish to recognize such as the annual Toronto-Cuba Friendship Day at Nathan Phillips Square, GTA - Toronto City Hall in August.

Amistad (Friendship) Newsletter

The association's bi-monthly newsletter is produced to keep members and other interested persons or groups up-to-date with observations about developments in Cuba as well as with the activities of the CCFA and other friendship groups. Readers are encouraged to send or write articles / notices for the newsletter. Deadlines are the 10th of Feb./Apr./Jun./Aug./Oct./Dec. The newsletter is published six times per year in Jan./Mar./May/Jul./Sep./Nov.

Friendship is built by reaching out. Take the first step - join the CCFA and reach out to Cuba.