BC Grassroots Organizations to Support Donation Tuesday

Article content

In her 15 years helping grassroots charities gain exposure and funding, a specific act of kindness is forever embedded in the memory of philanthropist Amanda Burrows.

Article content

She says: “In 2020 I created a website to raise funds for DTES response, whose objective was to disseminate food and hygiene products to combat the spread of COVID-19 among vulnerable residents. One of our first checks was for $ 4.53 – it was the last bit of money from someone who struggled to make ends meet but wanted to help make things better. “

The backlog of small checks became so great that DTES Response has distributed more than $ 500,000 to coordinated projects and frontline groups to date.

Individual acts of kindness have a huge impact collectively, and that’s why Giving Tuesday has become such a high-profile event: Canadians use the day as an opportunity to raise money for local charities and non-profits, conduct food and clothing drives, donate blood, and promote goodness in general.

Article content

Emily Keller, Executive Director of Vancouver Environmental Youth Alliance (EYA), says that recognizing the difference people can make is vital to its registered charity, which teaches BIPOC youth a wide range of environmental stewardship and restoration skills.

She explains: “Most of the donations we receive are $ 50 or less, and this not only allows us collectively to launch new education and administration programs each year, it is a stable foundation compared to receiving a large amount of funding from a single source. – which always carries the risk of the fountain drying out ”.

Keller adds that EYA is living proof that people can make a big difference. “In 1989, Vancouver high school student Jeffrey Gibbs established a series of environmental clubs whose popularity eventually won the support of David Suzuki,” she says. “The clubs evolved into EYA.”

Article content

However, maintaining donor support is an ongoing challenge for any charity, and Food Stash Foundation is an example of it. Food Stash was created in 2016 by Vancouver school teacher David Schein, who wanted to reduce food waste and feed people in need simultaneously. Today, Food Stash ‘rescues’ more than 70,000 pounds of food monthly from participating retailers (who hold their imperfect products and items that are nearing their expiration dates) and redistribute them to members and other charities.

Food Stash CEO Carla Pellegrini says: “Although we have made great progress in fulfilling David’s dream, our 12-member team is constantly brainstorming ideas for fundraising, obtaining grants, and more generally stay afloat”.

Article content

Pellegrini, inviting everyone to participate in his Tuesday evening Fight Against Food Waste for Giving, goes on to note: “We have just completed our year-end budget and only 30 percent of the revenue we require has been identified. and insured. And that’s pretty common for grassroots organizations. “

Even groups that have been active for more than half a century must constantly focus on fundraising, as is the case in Vancouver. Learning Disabilities Society (LDS), whose work with children and youth with learning differences has resulted in LDS students catching up with their peers by up to half a grade level on average per year.

LDS Executive Director Rachel Forbes says: “We are currently trying to grow our donor base to expand our programs, and also because COVID-19 restrictions have wreaked economic havoc on many households and understandably limited the people’s ability to donate to worthy causes. “In fact, a recent Vantage Point study shows that 71 percent of British Columbia nonprofits expect a budget shortfall this year, with one in five believing that they are likely to close within 12 months.

For his part, Burrows believes that Giving Tuesday will show that while resources may be depleted, the will to give back is stronger than ever. “Countless acts of generosity are taking place as Vancouver continues to unite against the public health threat and state of emergency,” he says. “I am confident that on November 30 not only will the needs of our communities be amplified, but so will the power of our kindness.”

The story was created by Content works, Postmedia commercial content division.