Canada’s Scotiabank has donated $100,000 to the Red Cross in support of those affected by Hurricane Dorian.

The money donated by the Canadian bank will be used for the rescue and relief efforts that are taking place. Red Cross are hoping to mobilise volunteers to reach the impacted communities as soon as possible.

Brian Porter, Scotiabank’s President and CEO, said: “Over the past few days, we have been in close communication with our teams in The Bahamas and the surrounding areas. The scale of the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian is deeply troubling.

“We will stand by our employees, customers, and communities in the affected region over the coming days and throughout the rebuilding efforts.”

Hurricane Dorian, which has devastated the Bahamas, has killed 20 people so far and was previously a Category 5. It is now making its way towards South Carolina.

The Hurricane has caused damage to infrastructure and has left communities without access to water and electricity.

According to Scotiabank, its immediate focus is ensuring the safety of its employees. It is also continuing to assess the impact on its business operations and hopes to make arrangements to resume critical services quickly.

Donations to the relief efforts can be made to the Hurricane Dorian Appeal. Money raised will allow the Red Cross to provide relief, recovery, and resiliency activities in response to the disaster.

Previous donations

Scotiabank has a history of donating to those who find themselves in vulnerable conditions. Earlier this year, it donated C$3.1m to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada providing youth mentorship.

The scheme aims to help young Canadians growing up in vulnerable situations including poverty, family instability or identity-based discrimination.

As well as this, the bank also hosts its annual Scotiabank Charity Challenge which offers fundraising opportunities for local non-profits. Some of the organisations involved include the WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre.