City opens furniture assistance for July 1 flood-affected households

The City of Ottawa says it is partnering with Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa and Matthew House Ottawa on an Extreme Weather Event Furniture Assistance Initiative, providing gently used donated furniture to eligible households whose essential furniture was damaged or destroyed by the July 1 flooding. The City says donated furniture is limited, so assistance will be prioritized for eligible households with the greatest financial need, including residents whose beds, couches and other essential furnishings were damaged or destroyed and who may face financial or other barriers to replacing them. The City says it will follow up with people already identified through wellness visits and service requests, and that residents who have not been contacted but need furniture assistance because of the July 1 event are encouraged to call 3-1-1 to inquire and have their needs assessed. Calling 3-1-1 requests an assessment and does not guarantee assistance. In the same bulletin the City reports that staff and community partners, including St. John Ambulance and Ottawa Volunteer Search and Rescue, have conducted more than 6,000 wellness visits and 500 follow-up calls since the emergency response began. The program is citywide, so eligible Barrhaven and South Nepean households affected by the July 1 flooding can ask to be assessed.