Iqaluit, Nunavut – February 3, 2020 – The Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) is distributing $28,500 in food hampers to Elders in Igloolik as part of the Emergency Voucher for Elders Program.

“The Emergency Vouchers for Elders Program helps our Elders have access to healthy food in the face of the pandemic” says QIA President P.J. Akeeagok, “following the fire at the Igloolik cooperative store, QIA quickly acted to ensure the community received the full benefits of the Program.”

Working in partnership with Arctic Co-operatives Limited, QIA has been delivering the Emergency Voucher for Elders Program to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on Qikiqtani Inuit Elders.

The program launched in April 2020 as an immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first round distributed $3 million in benefits to Qikiqtani Elders. The second round allocated an additional $1.8 million.

The last distribution date for second round of vouchers was January 19, 2021, the day before the fire at the Igloolik Co-op. QIA quickly worked with Arctic Co-ops Ltd to coordinate the delivery of 114 food hampers to Igloolik Elders as a replacement for the voucher.

The funds for QIA’s COVID-19 response plan come from the Indigenous Community Support Fund (ICSF) announced by the Federal Government.

For more information, please contact:

Will Hopkins,
Acting Director of Communications,
Qikiqtani Inuit Association
whopkins@qia.ca
867.975.8413 or
1.800.667.2742