Donations flood in for families of the victims of Hampstead tragedy
Hundreds of donors respond to the Migrant Workers Family Support Fund in first week alone
February 15, 2012 - More than $50,000 has been raised to date though a special fund to assist the families of the workers killed or injured in a horrific two-vehicle crash on February 6 near Hampstead, Ontario.
The Migrant Workers Family Support Fund was set up by UFCW Canada and the Agriculture Workers Alliance (AWA) to provide individuals and organizations with a way to reach out to the families of the victims.
l00% of the collected funds will be divided into fourteen equal portions and, with the help of the Peruvian Consul- General's office in Toronto, will be distributed to the families of the workers who were injured or killed, including 13 agriculture workers, and the driver of a transport truck who also died in the collision.
"While nothing can replace the loved ones that were lost, this Fund can at least help the families financially rebuild in the wake of this horrendous tragedy," says Wayne Hanley, the national president of UFCW Canada.
"Across Canada, people continue to show their compassion for those in need, and we are heartened by the tremendous support the Fund has already received from workers, individuals, UFCW Canada members, and from community groups and Labour Unions across the country."
Donations to the Migrant Workers Family Support Fund can be made through PayPal:
Donations can also be made through direct transfer to the Fund's account:
The Migrant Workers Family Support Fund
TD Canada Trust
Account # 5221618
Transit # 1864
Please note that Charitable Tax Receipts for income tax purposes cannot be provided as the Migrant Workers Family Support Fund is not a Registered Charity.
Condolences can also be sent to the families through a special memorial Facebook page: Hampstead Tragedy Memorial Page. The page has been set up to commemorate the workers who died or were injured, and to mark the tremendous contribution and sacrifices that farm workers – many of whom are migrants – make to our food supply and the Canadian agriculture industry.
UFCW Canada is the country's largest private-sector union, and for over two decades has led the campaign for safety and workplace rights for migrant workers in Canada. In association with the Agriculture Workers Alliance (AWA), UFCW Canada also operates ten agriculture worker support centres across the country.