rev up those fryers

got comms open for the summer

Namaygoosisagagun First Nation/Collins has burned to the ground. The entire community is nothing but ashes after being quickly consumed by wildfires. They did not have any support from emergency services, and no one offered aid. The community saved themselves by escaping into boats because no one came.

Mishkeegogamang and Cat Lake have lost power. Families are ending up in shelters with nothing. Armstrong, Lac La Croix, Whitesand, Gull Bay, Lac des Mille Lacs are currently in the fires path and all members are being evacuated.

All this loss, all this devastation, and it was entirely preventable.

After steadily underfunding wildland firefighting and purposefully excluding Indigenous wildland firefighters and Indigenous wildfire organizations from wildfire operations, firefighter training, decisionmaking, and resource exchanges, in 2025, Doug Ford slashed the forest firefighting budget.

It's hard to ignore his decision to cut funding and leave us out of adequate fire training (even though we've lived with forest fires for thousands of years—far longer than settlers have been in Canada—and made sure fires like the ones we're all seeing today were prevented through kinisitotēn) when, despite making up less than 5% of the population, we account for 42% percent of all wildfire evacuations in Canada.

And when we are successfully evacuated, we face discrimination and racism—like Kashechewan—because it's always been easier to blame us than it is to blame the true culprit: denialism, corportate greed, and colonization.

The people of Collins and every other impacted community deserve better.

Right now, the AFN is currently accepting donations to help Collins First Nation. If you're able to, please consider donating.

ONWA (Ontario Native Women's Association) is another great place to donate to. They have outreach vans going to motels and inns and offering food, water, resources, and cultural support to those impacted by the wildfires.

Other places to consider donating to are Mikinakoos Emergency Fund, Red Cross, True North Aid, Indigenous Climate Action. You can also send donations directly to Whitesand First Nation via e-transfer ([email protected]) and they request that you add your full name in the e-transfer comment section to receive a tax receipt.

*Before sending money, verify that the appeal appears on an official First Nation, Tribal Council or registered charity channel.

If you can't offer financial support, please consider donating items of need. Moontime Connections is currently accepting drop-off donations. If you live in the Thunder Bay area, Namaygoosisagagun Health Office is also taking in donations! They can also bemailed to Superior Inn Hotel & Conference Centre at 555 West Arthur Street, Thunder Bay, ON, P7E 5P8.

items needed are: food, diapers, medical masks, men’s and women’s joggers (all sizes), children’s clothing (newborn to size 14), children’s shoes, summer clothing, men’s clothing, toiletries (lotion, Vaseline, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, etc.), strollers, adult depends-all sizes, dog & cat food

Also consider Mikinakoos' as they're extending support beyond their traditional service areas due to the scale of this emergency!

Donations for Namaygoosisagagun First Nation:

Donations for Whitesand First Nation:

WANT TO HELP BUT DON'T KNOW HOW? GO HERE

For donations:

We Love Foundation: Provinding food, water, medical support, hygiene kits, shelter supplies, logistics, and direct support for vulnerable families on the ground. They have worked with global partners and Venezuelan nonprofits for the past 13 years.

The Gio Foundation: Humanitarian and animal aid nonprofit organization accepting donations through their portal.

Aldeas Infantiles SOS: Accepts donations in bolívares (Venezuelan currency) through their Venezuelan branch. Donations in foreign currencies can be sent through Aldeas Infantiles SOS Spain.

Save the Children’s Emergency Fund: Donations will go towards providing urgent, life-saving support to Venezuelan children.

UNICEF Spain: Has launched an Emergency Fund for Venezuelan children.

Miami-based Venezuelan American Chamber of Commerce Foundation: Launched a fundraising campaign to provide food, water, medicine, shelter and emergency relief.

World Central Kitchen: Providing fresh meals to communities in need in Venezuela.

Caritas Venezuela: Accepting both venezuelan and foreign donations.

Alimenta La Solidaridad: Activated their humanitarian network to support communities affected by the earthquake and deliver aid where it is needed the most.

International Medical Corps: Deployed members of their in-country team to the affected region to assess needs, working in close collaboration with local officials and emergency responders.

The House Project: Providing emergency humanitarian aid to those who need it most.

Fundación ACNUR Argentina: Independent, non-profit organization that works to raise public awareness and secure funds to support the humanitarian aid programs of ACNUR (the UN Refugee Agency).

Emergency Appeal by Healing Venezuela: Healing Venezuela is a UK based charity focused on alleviating the health crisis in Venezuela.

SOS Venezuela Appeal by People In Need: People in Need is a Czech non-governmental, non-profit organization active all over the world.

Ayudo Venezuela: A website to look up all collecting centers available in Venezuela.

Some collecting centers around the world: Find a near collecting center if there's any and help with anything you can.

For reporting missing people/pets:

Desaparecidos Terremoto Venezuela: If anyone you know in Venezuela is missing you can report them here.

Encuéntralos: You can locate people here.

HuellaScan: Website to report and locate missing pets.

Other resources and articles:

A map to see damages in Venezuela

Earthquakes in Venezuela: What We Know by Caracas Chronicles

Key Information About Venezuela’s State of Emergency by Caracas Chronicles

A Shaken Country and an Exposed State by Juan Carlos Gabaldón

Important video with information about Venezuela by Alex TVzla on instagram

For the best information about Venezuela in english please follow Caracas Chronicles and Alex TVzla on instagram.

If you are from the US call your representatives to pressure into aiding Venezuela as much as possible. Please, my country needs all the help they can get.

There are many Venezuelan communities around the world coming together and organizing to help those back home. Find the nearest collecting center and please help with whatever you can! }

Venezuela was already a devastated country, and this just made everything a million times worse.

All these campaigns/fundraisers I'm sharing have been verified.

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