CanadaHelps has launched its ninth annual Great Canadian Giving Challenge, and a non-profit organization in Sooke is hoping to cash in big through donations and a grand prize.
Every dollar donated this month to a registered charity via CanadaHelps.org, the country’s largest platform for donating and fundraising online, automatically enters the charity to win an additional $20,000 donation, which will be drawn on July 1.
Sooke Region Communities Health Network is participating and hoping its name will be drawn on Canada Day.
The Sooke Region Communities Health Network aims to strengthen the community through grassroots initiatives, by supporting healthy lives through innovative development and improvement of services for everyone in the region and surrounding areas. It’s main project today is the Sooke Gathering Place.
“This building will provide affordable housing for individuals who are 55 and older, and include a drop-in centre, a senior centre and a space that can be rented out by the community and other organizations,” said Mary Dunn, president of the Sooke Region Communities Health Network. “We have the goal of keeping people independent as they age and prevent them from going into facilities too soon.”
Sooke is one of the only communities without a dedicated centre for seniors, after the previous centre was closed in 2010. Thirty per cent of Sooke’s population is more than 55 years of age, a total that is expected to double within the next 20 years, so it is paramount that the community raises enough funds to have the new centre built.
“We have been using CanadaHelps for a number of years now as it is an easy way to make donations,” Dunn said. “We became more connected (with the Great Canadian Giving Challenge) once COVID started, and have been involved ever since.”
Almost $105,000 of the $2-million goal has been raised so far, and Dunn is hoping that the Giving Challenge can help give that total a boost.
“I really encourage everyone to make a donation as just $1 gets us entered into the grand prize,” she said. “The Sooke Gathering Place would really be a legacy for our community.”
The Giving Challenge was created to encourage Canadians to be charitable during June — a time that has typically been referred to as the giving drought, as many Canadians prioritize spending their money elsewhere during the summer months.
“The Great Canadian Giving Challenge started in 2015 with the goal to increase giving during the slower summer months,” said Nicole Danessi, manager of donor marketing and special projects at CanadaHelps.
“Typically, a lot of Canadians donate to charities in November and December, with about 30 per cent in December.”
According to a new Ipsos poll, 23 per cent of Canadians are currently accessing charitable services for essential needs such as food, clothing or shelter, and that percentage is expected to increase to 26 per cent within the next six months.
The poll also revealed that 62 per cent of those Canadians who are expecting to use essential charitable services in the next six months say they are unable to keep up with the rising cost of living, resulting in charities facing new strains on their operations and pressure to meet the growing demand.
“We wanted to provide an additional reason for Canadians to support their favourite charities,” Danessi said. “That’s why our team launched the Great Canadian Giving Challenge back in 2015 and it’s been quite successful ever since.”