{"id":9780,"date":"2024-12-03T16:07:19","date_gmt":"2024-12-03T20:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluedoor.ca\/?p=9780"},"modified":"2024-12-04T16:10:21","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T20:10:21","slug":"we-will-take-a-hit-on-giving-tuesday-york-region-charities-worry-about-postal-strike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluedoor.ca\/we-will-take-a-hit-on-giving-tuesday-york-region-charities-worry-about-postal-strike\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018We will take a hit\u2019: On Giving Tuesday, York Region charities worry about postal strike"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Posted On: Tuesday, December 3 2024, Posted By: Lisa Queen, Newmarket Era, Original Article<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As York Region charities look to reap the rewards of today\u2019s Giving Tuesday (givingtuesday.ca<\/a>), the world\u2019s largest annual movement to harness generosity, they also worry the postal strike could strike a major blow to their holiday fundraising campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh definitely, we will take a hit. I can\u2019t tell you how much but it will be a hit,\u201d said Christina Bisanz, CEO of Aurora-based Community and Home Assistance to Seniors (CHATS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCertainly, with the postal strike now, we will be doing a lot more social media that you can still contribute online.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reaching donors at this time of year is critical because people are in a giving mood and are looking to make charitable donations before year\u2019s end so they can claim contributions on their 2025 federal tax returns, Bisanz said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also a chance for CHATS to raise awareness about their programs and services<\/p>\n\n\n\n


As York Region charities look to reap the rewards of today\u2019s Giving Tuesday (givingtuesday.ca<\/a>), the world\u2019s largest annual movement to harness generosity, they also worry the postal strike could strike a major blow to their holiday fundraising campaigns.
\u201cOh definitely, we will take a hit. I can\u2019t tell you how much but it will be a hit,\u201d said Christina Bisanz, CEO of Aurora-based Community and Home Assistance to Seniors (CHATS).
\u201cCertainly, with the postal strike now, we will be doing a lot more social media that you can still contribute online.\u201d
Reaching donors at this time of year is critical because people are in a giving mood and are looking to make charitable donations before year\u2019s end so they can claim contributions on their 2025 federal tax returns, Bisanz said.
It\u2019s also a chance for CHATS to raise awareness about their programs and services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While CHATS and other charities are moving more to online giving, mail campaigns remain an important opportunity to reach people, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s especially true for CHATS, whose clientele and their caregivers are older and may not be as comfortable using the internet, Bisanz said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CHATS has two direct mail campaigns a year, in June and December, which brings in about 15 per cent of the agency\u2019s total fundraising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mail campaigns reach about 2,000 each, with different recipients contacted each time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The December campaign, normally launched on Giving Tuesday, typically nets $20,000 to $25,000, less mailing costs. CHATS will continue with the campaign, hoping donors respond in January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think (the strike) will have a big impact on many of us in the charitable sector,\u201d Bisanz said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s a big disappointment. It\u2019s a blow. We will have to look at ways to make up that fundraising somewhere else. The charitable pool is very big, there\u2019s a lot of competition and for those people who may have thought about CHATS every year, without that reminder, we may not be kind of thought of and we miss that opportunity this year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If charities are able to raise satisfactory funds this holiday season, they may look to avoid the mail in place of other opportunities in the future, Bisanz added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To support CHATS or find out about services, visit chats.on.ca\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To buy something on the agency\u2019s Holiday Home Action, visit 32auctions.com\/CHATSHolidayHome2024<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canada Post and the union representing 55,000 striking postal workers have indicated they may to be willing to return to bargaining, although no date has been announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michael Braithwaite, CEO of Blue Door shelters, is bracing for the impact the postal strike could have on the non-profit organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBlue Door receives most of its donations during November and December, the giving season for many folks and the last chance for people looking to get a 2024 tax receipt. It\u2019s these donations that help to fill funding gaps and sustain programs for another year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve already heard from a number of donors who were concerned about putting their 2024 cheque in the mail. While these kind donors reached out to find another way to donate, this year we\u2019re encouraging donors to consider donating online or dropping their cheques off at our office at 18838 Highway 11 in East Gwillimbury.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sentiment is the same at Southlake Regional Health Centre, which last week put out a press release appealing for residents to find other ways than the mail to support the hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHoliday giving, over the months of November and December, represents a significant percentage of our annual donations,\u201d said Lesley Ring, chief development officer at Southlake Foundation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany donors choose to mail in their gifts from across our communities at this time of year. This disruption in postal services is extremely challenging for those donors who may not be familiar with or have access to online ways to give. It\u2019s concerning as those donations are urgently needed to help fund equipment, technology, and space upgrades for patients and providers at Southlake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hospital has created a website, southlake.ca\/foundation\/canada-post-service-interruption\/<\/a> with donations options and will \u201cdouble down\u201d on its online efforts to encourage the community to support expansion of the emergency department and emergency care, said foundation president, Jennifer Ritter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDespite what is happening around us, the doors to our emergency department never close and it\u2019s our donors that enable us to provide the necessary equipment, technology, and space our doctors, nurses, and staff need to care for our community members when they need it most,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The foundation will also run pre-show advertising spots in Newmarket and Aurora Cineplex theatres in December encouraging movie-goes to donate to Southlake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donors can also visit southlakefoundation.ca<\/a>, call 905-836-7333<\/a> or visit the foundation\u2019s office at the medical arts building at 581 Davis Dr. Suite 102 Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A statement from Imagine Canada<\/a>, the national advocacy arm of Canada\u2019s charitable sector, stated \u201ca long-term postal strike will substantially hamper the sector\u2019s fundraising results for 2024. This is happening at a time when many parts of the sector are struggling with a combination of increased operating costs, increased demand, and labour and volunteer shortages.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Posted On: Tuesday, December 3 2024, Posted By: Lisa Queen, Newmarket Era, Original Article As York Region charities look to reap the rewards of today\u2019s Giving Tuesday (givingtuesday.ca), the world\u2019s largest annual movement to harness generosity, they also worry the postal strike could strike a major blow to their holiday fundraising campaigns. \u201cOh definitely, we […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":9781,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t