Helping Oil Field Families Through the Downturn

The area around Brooks, Alberta has been hit hard by the downturn in the oil and gas industry. Many oil field workers are unemployed or have had their hours cut back significantly. Employment Insurance benefits have run out for many or they didn’t qualify to begin with because they were self-employed contractors. Families are running through their savings and many don’t qualify for social assistance. Some are facing the possible loss of their homes and/or vehicles.

“Our goal is to create a little breathing room for oil field families as they go through this crisis,” says Lynn Pye-Matheson, Chair of the Community Response Committee in Brooks. “So when Major Murray Jaster from The Salvation Army in Medicine Hat called and said 'how can we help?', I knew just the gap that they could help fill.”

The Community Response Committee, made up of 60 representatives from government, health care, education, and non-profits including The Salvation Army, has stepped up response to assist these vulnerable families. Using the local SPEC Association for Children and Families agency for intake and screening, oil field families are provided financial assistance to meet basic needs and given access or referral to services such as food bank, government service application assistance, credit and debt counseling, mental health resources, and job search assistance.

Being a rural community, families were consistently identifying the need for transportation, basically keeping gas in the vehicle’s tank, as a challenge with money so tight. The Salvation Army has responded by providing gas gift cards for distribution through the program.

“It is wonderful to see how all of these community groups have come together to support these families through this difficult time. We are grateful that we could help fill a gap in the services being offered and we continue to pray for these families and a turnaround in the economy,” concludes Major Murray Jaster.