The G5 municipalities and Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) have joined forces to provide assistance to those within the Central Peace region who are isolated or at risk. The program is designed to ensure residents in the Central Peace have continued access to essential items like groceries and medications.

While all five communities have advised residents to support family, friends and neighbours who may be isolated, unable to get town, or at risk, residents who have no other supports available, and are in urgent need of groceries, medication or essential goods are urged to make use of this program.

Included are those who are unable to visit stores and pharmacies because of self-isolation requirements, as directed by Alberta Health Services.

Areas covered include: Birch Hills County, MD of Spirit River 133, Town of Spirit River, Saddle Hills County and the Village of Rycroft.

Program details and an online request forms are available on the Central Peace Regional Emergency Management (CPREM) website at CPREM.ca or their local municipal websites where they will find a link to the application form. Or call your county office to get a copy sent to you by mail.

Once a request is made, individuals will receive a call back from a program assessor within 24-hours of making their online or phone request. If the request is approved, once you have ordered and arranged payment a driver will deliver the goods.

The client or client’s family will be responsible to phone ahead and order the supplies as well as making payment arrangements with the Spirit River IGA and Rexall Drugs in Spirit River. There is a form attached to apply to Rexall drugs for prepaid arrangements. Please call Rhonda or Randall at 780-864-4096 to make payments arrangements for your grocery purchases.

Municipal staff will be utilized as delivery personnel. Safety precautions are in place to protect citizens and drivers. Supplies will be dropped at the client’s door, no municipal personnel will enter the clients’ homes. The program will protect the confidentiality of those who participate.

“We encourage everyone to consider reaching out to family, friends and neighbours as a first source of assistance. The COVID-19 Food and Pharmacy Community Care Program is available for vulnerable citizens in our communities and those who have exhausted those options or cannot make use of them. If you cannot access the form online, your individual municipalities have copies they can send out to you,” says CPREM Incident Commander Brian Ballard.