Shelter Box Canada changes name to Disaster Aid Canada
Posted by Dave Dyck
Dear President Shirley
We are writing to inform you that the Board of ShelterBox Canada has recently voted to make some changes in the operation of the charity which will impact you and your club.
What will change?
1. ShelterBox Canada will now operate as Disaster Aid Canada
2. Disaster Aid Canada will no longer use the ShelterBox Trust in the UK as its provider of equipment.
3. Disaster Aid Canada will purchase equipment for deployment in disaster areas from a new North American supplier. This equipment meets SPHERE and UN international standards for disaster relief, and is 40% less expensive than the equipment we have been buying from the UK.
4. Disaster Aid Canada will be run by Canadians and decisions made in the interests of Canadian donors.
What will stay the same?
1. The makeup of the Board and Administration will be unchanged
2. The Canada Revenue Agency registration number will remain the same as will our ability to provide tax receipts for donors
3. Disaster Aid Canada will retain strong ties to the Rotary organisation -a more positive relationship with Rotary International is a must
4. Boxes will still be numbered and tracked, providing donors with reassurance that their money is being used as it was intended, but each country will number their own boxes
5. Disaster Aid Canada will keep three things firmly in mind as it moves forward
a. The provision of high quality, internationally approved shelter and survival equipment to victims of disaster worldwide
b. A commitment to Canadian donors to give them the best value for their donations
c. Its strong Rotary roots
Why were these changes necessary?
1. After extensive research into the worldwide availability of shelter equipment, several ShelterBox affiliates came to the conclusion that purchasing most of the raw materials in China, then sending them to Cornwall to be assembled actually makes little sense, especially when a large proportion of that aid travels to the east again.
2. It was discovered that SPHERE compliant equipment was available for a lower price which did not have the added expense of warehousing in UK.
3. It was deemed unethical for these affiliates to continue to purchase from ShelterBox Trust when higher quality equipment could be deployed to help people for 40% less money.
What is different about the equipment?
1. Tents meet SPHERE & UN regulations for emergency relief;
2. Equipment designed by US firm headed up by experienced emergency response professionals who have reengineered kit to provide for essentials they found were lacking in previously existing kits and for which victims often expressed a need;
3. Tents will be blue, and the boxes blue and yellow to better reflect our Rotary roots and connections;
4. Boxes are equipped with wheels and handles for easier movement; they are sturdier and less susceptible to breakage;
5. Tents can be connected together to form hospitals, recovery areas or schools;
6. A complete Disaster Aid Canada Box can now be delivered to any disaster in the world for $750 CDN (or two for $1500).
Is ShelterBox Canada "Going it Alone"?
1. Disaster Aid Canada will partner with Disaster Aid Australia and Disaster Aid USA to coordinate our response to disaster; we will share Response teams
2. There will not be a need for warehousing since the manufacturer can store and ship large numbers of fully packed boxes directly, thus reducing operating costs
3. Containers loaded with 200 boxes in each will be stationed in strategic coastal locations in Canada, the U.S., and Australia to provide for immediate deployment in whichever hemisphere disaster strikes
4. With the new supplier, lack of overhead and direct delivery, we can now put out almost twice as many kits for the same dollars as before.
What will this mean for me and my Rotary Club?
1. If yours is a club that has supported ShelterBox in the past, we hope you will continue to support Disaster Aid. Our "Ambassadors", who have worked with many of you throughout Canada, will be provided with updated materials with the new name and philosophy, as well as an explanatory DVD for presentations to clubs, etc. You will be able to reassure your members/donors that Disaster Aid Canada is providing responsible stewardship for their dollars and internationally approved equipment for victims.
2. Disaster Aid Canada will set up a training program and will actively recruit more Canadian Response Team Members to deploy Canadian kits; the majority of our current SRT's are Rotarians; we hope Canadian Rotary Clubs will provide many volunteers to swell the ranks of our Canadian team.
3. If your club has not been a supporter in the past, we hope our improved pricing and equipment, coupled with increased Canadian control and management will convince you to come on board and join in this great Rotary Club endeavour.
4. Rotary Clubs and Rotarians will continue to be a hugely important part of Disaster Aid Canada. We will reach other venues of support through Rotarians as we have for the past several years.
We intend to keep all stakeholders fully informed and this is simply a preliminary announcement. Please call Executive Director Don at 1 800 677 0990 if you have immediate questions or concerns, or if you want to schedule a full presentation of our exciting new program to your club in the near future.
click here for more information on Disaster Aid Canada
We are writing to inform you that the Board of ShelterBox Canada has recently voted to make some changes in the operation of the charity which will impact you and your club.
What will change?
1. ShelterBox Canada will now operate as Disaster Aid Canada
2. Disaster Aid Canada will no longer use the ShelterBox Trust in the UK as its provider of equipment.
3. Disaster Aid Canada will purchase equipment for deployment in disaster areas from a new North American supplier. This equipment meets SPHERE and UN international standards for disaster relief, and is 40% less expensive than the equipment we have been buying from the UK.
4. Disaster Aid Canada will be run by Canadians and decisions made in the interests of Canadian donors.
What will stay the same?
1. The makeup of the Board and Administration will be unchanged
2. The Canada Revenue Agency registration number will remain the same as will our ability to provide tax receipts for donors
3. Disaster Aid Canada will retain strong ties to the Rotary organisation -a more positive relationship with Rotary International is a must
4. Boxes will still be numbered and tracked, providing donors with reassurance that their money is being used as it was intended, but each country will number their own boxes
5. Disaster Aid Canada will keep three things firmly in mind as it moves forward
a. The provision of high quality, internationally approved shelter and survival equipment to victims of disaster worldwide
b. A commitment to Canadian donors to give them the best value for their donations
c. Its strong Rotary roots
Why were these changes necessary?
1. After extensive research into the worldwide availability of shelter equipment, several ShelterBox affiliates came to the conclusion that purchasing most of the raw materials in China, then sending them to Cornwall to be assembled actually makes little sense, especially when a large proportion of that aid travels to the east again.
2. It was discovered that SPHERE compliant equipment was available for a lower price which did not have the added expense of warehousing in UK.
3. It was deemed unethical for these affiliates to continue to purchase from ShelterBox Trust when higher quality equipment could be deployed to help people for 40% less money.
What is different about the equipment?
1. Tents meet SPHERE & UN regulations for emergency relief;
2. Equipment designed by US firm headed up by experienced emergency response professionals who have reengineered kit to provide for essentials they found were lacking in previously existing kits and for which victims often expressed a need;
3. Tents will be blue, and the boxes blue and yellow to better reflect our Rotary roots and connections;
4. Boxes are equipped with wheels and handles for easier movement; they are sturdier and less susceptible to breakage;
5. Tents can be connected together to form hospitals, recovery areas or schools;
6. A complete Disaster Aid Canada Box can now be delivered to any disaster in the world for $750 CDN (or two for $1500).
Is ShelterBox Canada "Going it Alone"?
1. Disaster Aid Canada will partner with Disaster Aid Australia and Disaster Aid USA to coordinate our response to disaster; we will share Response teams
2. There will not be a need for warehousing since the manufacturer can store and ship large numbers of fully packed boxes directly, thus reducing operating costs
3. Containers loaded with 200 boxes in each will be stationed in strategic coastal locations in Canada, the U.S., and Australia to provide for immediate deployment in whichever hemisphere disaster strikes
4. With the new supplier, lack of overhead and direct delivery, we can now put out almost twice as many kits for the same dollars as before.
What will this mean for me and my Rotary Club?
1. If yours is a club that has supported ShelterBox in the past, we hope you will continue to support Disaster Aid. Our "Ambassadors", who have worked with many of you throughout Canada, will be provided with updated materials with the new name and philosophy, as well as an explanatory DVD for presentations to clubs, etc. You will be able to reassure your members/donors that Disaster Aid Canada is providing responsible stewardship for their dollars and internationally approved equipment for victims.
2. Disaster Aid Canada will set up a training program and will actively recruit more Canadian Response Team Members to deploy Canadian kits; the majority of our current SRT's are Rotarians; we hope Canadian Rotary Clubs will provide many volunteers to swell the ranks of our Canadian team.
3. If your club has not been a supporter in the past, we hope our improved pricing and equipment, coupled with increased Canadian control and management will convince you to come on board and join in this great Rotary Club endeavour.
4. Rotary Clubs and Rotarians will continue to be a hugely important part of Disaster Aid Canada. We will reach other venues of support through Rotarians as we have for the past several years.
We intend to keep all stakeholders fully informed and this is simply a preliminary announcement. Please call Executive Director Don at 1 800 677 0990 if you have immediate questions or concerns, or if you want to schedule a full presentation of our exciting new program to your club in the near future.
click here for more information on Disaster Aid Canada