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Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with Red Crossers and visited a Red Cross warehouse facility in Mississauga yesterday. He was there to make an announcement about the government contribution to the Typhoon Haiyan relief fund for the Philippines. The Prime Minister welcomed the generosity of Canadians who contributed over $85 million in eligible donations that are being matched by the government.

More than three months after Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines, the Canadian Red Cross has handed over the field hospital it deployed in November 2013 to the Philippine Red Cross. This will allow the Philippine Red Cross to provide basic health care to a community of 30,000 people in the event of a future emergency. 

It has been just over three months since Typhoon Haiyan ravaged the Philippines. Red Cross has been providing relief to communities in need of food, shelter, clean water and medical assistance. Several National Red Cross Societies including the Canadian Red Cross continue to provide assistance and raise funds to boost the Philippine Red Cross’ plan to support the long-term recovery of 100,000 families in the worst affected areas over the next two years.

Tomorrow marks three months since Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines.

Matt Hewett was among those who deployed to the Philippines in those early days of the emergency response after Typhoon Haiyan caused significant damage in the country. He’s an Information Services Manager with the Canadian Red Cross, which at first glance may not sound like a typical career path for a humanitarian worker. However, information management is critical when it comes to coordinating a large-scale response and ensuring the right aid is delivered to those who need it the most.

Denyse had always wanted to do humanitarian work but the opportunity didn’t present itself until a few years ago, after she raised her two kids and the Canadian Red Cross began deploying psychosocial support delegates after the Haiti earthquake.

Haiti was Denyse’s first mission with the Red Cross. Since then she’s been back to Haiti a second time to provide psychosocial support during a cholera outbreak, and to Pakistan to provide that same support after a flood. Her latest deployment  as a member of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) has taken her to the Philippines, to help out after Typhoon Haiyan.  

It's now been a little over a month since Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in the Philippines. As relief efforts continue, humanitarian operations are now moving into early recovery. The following infographic provides a look at how the Red Cross has contributed to providing emergency relief to those affected. 
The Canadian government is matching donations by individual Canadians for Typhoon Haiyan relief until December 23. 

Marcel McIntyre is often the first to arrive at the Red Cross field hospital in the city of Ormoc, in the Philippines early in the morning and the last to leave at night. The field hospital was set up in in front of the local district hospital, which was damaged by the typhoon.