BC Liquor Stores customers and employees have donated more than $208,000 to help support Red Cross earthquake relief efforts in Nepal.

The donation bolsters a $300,000 emergency relief contribution that the B.C. government provided to the Canadian Red Cross after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck on April 25.

These donations continue to help the Red Cross provide urgently needed assistance in affected communities throughout Nepal, supporting food distribution and helping displaced people by providing items like blankets, hygiene kits and sleeping mats.

From April 27 until June 6, customers made donations of $2 or $5 – or multiples thereof – at checkouts in all 196 BC Liquor Stores throughout the province.

The BC Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) has a long-term partnership with the Canadian Red Cross. Since 2003, BC Liquor Stores customers and employees have supported Red Cross disaster relief efforts by contributing more than $1.9 million for humanitarian crises at home and abroad.

R. Blain Lawson, General Manager and CEO, Liquor Distribution Branch, said: “BC Liquor Stores has been a proud partner of the Red Cross for more than 10 years and we want to thank our customers and employees for their continued support of the Red Cross disaster relief efforts. Their generosity is making a huge difference in the lives of people affected by the devastating earthquake in Nepal.”

Kimberley Nemrava, B.C. and Yukon Director, Canadian Red Cross, said: “We are always grateful for the amazing support of customers and employees at BC Liquor Stores. It will take significant resources to help the people of Nepal recover from April’s earthquake. These generous donations will provide vital assistance in the days and months ahead. Thank you for trusting the Canadian Red Cross to deliver that assistance.”