Hurricane Fiona
Powered by Community in the Aftermath
On September 23 and 24, 2022, Hurricane Fiona ripped through Atlantic Canada and left a wave of devastation and destruction behind. The worst storm to hit Canada in more than 50 years was particularly harsh for Cape Breton.
When the winds died down and the storm surge subsided, the devastation left behind was revealed. Large trees were uprooted, power lines were ripped from poles and roofs and siding were torn clean from businesses and homes, and our community was left with a big job ahead.
As a result of the damage, Cape Breton suffered a loss of electricity. Tens of thousands across the Island were left with no electricity, no heat and no way to cook food.
Many Cape Breton University students and alumni were impacted. Some were displaced by damage and many were without power. But, instead of simply waiting for help to arrive, we saw something incredible happen within the CBU community.
Students and alumni alike worked to help others. Some cooked food, others provided a warm place to stay and others offered resources they had to make sure everyone was taken care of.
In the Northend of Sydney, CBU students were still in the dark but decided to prepare food and cook food for others over an open fire. Their makeshift kitchen drew hundreds for a hot meal and a place to gather. CBU students became a symbol of resilience and uplifted others’ spirits by simply displaying compassion.
Not far from the popup outdoor kitchen, a commercial kitchen became another place our community could turn to. Jay’s Chicken, owned and operated by CBU Alumni, Carol Yang, fired up a generator and started to cook.
“Many Cape Breton University students and alumni were impacted. Some were displaced by damage, and many were without power. But, instead of simply waiting for help to arrive, we saw something incredible happen within the CBU community.”
Just two days after the storm, Yang and her staff prepared approximately 1,000 boxed meals – each made to serve two people. They distributed 500 at their Glace Bay location and 500 more at their Sydney location to those who needed it the most.
This demonstration of community support has become a theme in the storm’s aftermath and this has been led by members of the Cape Breton University family.
After all was said and done, the damage from the storm was overshadowed by the kindness in our community that we’ve come to expect.
While the community pulled together in recovery, CBU and the Alumni Office established the Hurricane Fiona Relief Fund to raise money to help students replace the food they lost during the power outage. Inspired by the acts of kindness and selflessness in the community, alumni, donors, friends and community members stepped up in a big way.
We heard from many of you, wishing to know how you could support our students during this difficult time, and we’re proud to tell you that thanks to our donors, more than $50,000 was raised, which was then matched by CBU and all funds were donated to the CBU Students' Union.
Quickly, the Students' Union and volunteers rallied to source food and toiletries to create packages. More than 800 packages were distributed to students in need. This provided students with much-needed resources as their recovery continued.
Thank you to all who donated to support our students in their time of need.
If you are interested in supporting food security efforts at CBU, you can donate at CBU.ca/Give.
