Winnipeg charities encourage donors to make contributions online during Canada Post strike
'Huge impact when there ’s anything that potentially cuts into our holiday fundraising': Manitoba Harvest CEO
The Salvation Army red kettle found in shopping malls is as recognizable a holiday symbol as mistletoe, gingerbread houses and poinsettias.
Canada Post is in the throes of a labour stoppage, and while Canadians can make a donation at one of the many kettles across the country, some Winnipeg charities are asking the public to consider making them online to ensure tidings of comfort and joy are brought to all who need it.
Maj. Al Hoeft, the divisional secretary of public relations for the Prairies and Northern Territories Division for the Salvation Army, said over three million people from across the country came through the doors of the charity's locations last year.
"There's a lot of people who depend on the work of the Salvation Army ... [and] we depend on the mail to deliver a lot of the donor cheques that come to us every year," he said.
The holiday season is also the time of the year that the organization does its largest share of fundraising.
"This is a critical time for us to be able to do the fundraising that we need to be able to provide the services that we provide the Canadians every day," Hoeft said.
More than 55,000 postal workers across the country walked off the job more than a week ago, stating key concerns over wages, contract work, job security, benefits and working conditions.
Once operations resume, the Crown corporation has said mail and parcels in its network will be delivered on a "first-in, first-out basis," but warns of service delays once the strike comes to an end.
The sooner the strike ends the better, says Harvest Manitoba chief executive officer Vince Barletta.
The organization usually sends out more than 100,000 pieces of mail within Winnipeg and other parts of the province, with direct payments to Harvest Manitoba making up about 30 per cent of its annual revenue, he said.
"The longer the mail is out, the more we start to worry about how the year is going to end for us," Barletta said.
"It makes a huge impact when there's anything that potentially cuts into our holiday fundraising."
He worries that if fundraising efforts aren't successful, it could present a challenging situation for the organization as it makes plans for next year.
There's been a shift to online donations, Barletta said. But in the wake of the Canada Post strike, he's reminding charitable supporters to consider alternative donations methods to the traditional snail mail.
"We have seen people respond. Certainly our online donations are up but it's not completely replacing those cheques that come in," he said.
"We're really looking for this strike to come to an end so we can get this critical service back online."
The Winnipeg Foundation is using social media to seek donations, not just for itself but for charities in general.
"You're starting to see a lot of online activity, which is great. You're seeing donors actually drop by and visit the charities, which is also really great. But really the best way to do it right now is by visiting a website or calling a charity that you love and making your gift either over the phone or through an online gift," said Mary Beth Taylor, vice-president of community generosity for the foundation.
Taylor says the inability for charities to send out messages in the mail to prospective donors is a big inconvenience with the holiday season approaching. "Even though they [charities] are unable to reach out to you, please make sure you reach out to them because it's essential for a healthy community."
Non-traditional charities from across the city are also dependent on the goodwill of the public and the financial support they get to be able to provide services.
Zoe Nakata, executive director of Wildlife Haven, says donors can make a difference in the lives of sick, injured and orphaned animals despite the strike.
"I'm nervous about our ability to raise critical funds this season. As a charity, this stoppage significantly affects our end-of-year fundraising," Nakata said in an email to CBC.
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With files from Zubina Ahmed