What is Boyle Street's Emergency Response Fund?
- Boyle Street Staff
- 58 minutes ago
- 2 min read
When Edmonton is hit with a heatwave or smoke so thick you can taste it, the question we hear again and again is: What’s happening to people on the street right now?
They’re not alone - we’re responding with care, urgency, and supplies made possible by your support.
Our Emergency Response Fund (ERF) is exactly what it sounds like - a fund that we can access quickly when emergencies strike. It’s designed to be flexible and fast, so we can respond in real time when our community needs it most.
Your donations help us get water bottles, sunscreen, bug spray, raincoats, and more into people’s hands. When temperatures drop far below zero, your support means we can distribute warming kits and winter gear. And when the air is thick with wildfire smoke, ERF helps us provide masks so people can breathe easier.
The ERF means we don’t have to wait for a crisis to hit to act - because we’re already prepared.
Why We Prioritize Monetary Donations
Often, in times of crisis, people want to help by dropping off physical donations - and we’re grateful for the impulse. But the reality is that monetary donations make the biggest impact. They give us the flexibility to:
Purchase what’s most needed, when it’s needed
Respond quickly to changing conditions
Reduce storage and sorting delays
Act with care and dignity, offering new, high-quality items
Thanks to the ERF, we can stockpile essential items in advance and top up supplies in real time. When someone receives water at a pop-up station, when a street outreach worker hands out a care package - your donation makes those moments possible.
This ability to act immediately not only meets physical needs but also reassures people experiencing homelessness that their community sees them and cares.
A Year-Round Commitment
Right now, it’s summer - and the sun is hot. We’re distributing water, sunscreen, hats, masks, and more to protect our community from heat stroke, dehydration, and smoke exposure. But just months ago, we were handing out warm socks, hand warmers, and blankets.
ERF is part of our year-round commitment to meeting urgent needs with compassion and speed. It’s how we continue to show up when the weather turns or the unexpected happens.
Every season brings unique challenges for people experiencing homelessness, and the ERF is essential to meeting each of those challenges with immediate, targeted support.
How You Can Help
You don’t need to wait for a heatwave to make a difference.
By donating to our Emergency Response Fund today, you’re making sure we’re ready - not just when emergencies hit, but before they happen. You’re helping us stock the supplies that save lives. You’re helping us build a plan we can rely on. And you’re giving comfort not only to those we serve, but to yourself - knowing that when the next extreme weather event arrives, you’ve already done something about it.
Together, we’re building resilience and strengthening our entire community - because everyone deserves dignity, care, and safety.