Hospital 50-50 draws 'fill in the gaps' as fundraising events wane during pandemic

Hospital foundations across northern Ontario are finding success in holding 50-50 draws these days.

It's a relatively new undertaking for the hospitals, but in the past year, they've raised millions of dollars for health equipment in the north.

The Sault Area Hospital launched its monthly 50/50 draw just over a year ago.

"It was something that we wanted to bring to market, a new and exciting fundraiser. And the goal has always been to raise money for the Sault Area Hospital Foundation. So the funds go to a great cause. And it was something new and exciting to give to the community," says Teresa Martone, executive director of the Sault Area Hospital Foundation. 

Over in Sudbury, the low-risk option of a 50-50 draw was appealing, says Anthony Keating, president and chief development officer for the HSN Foundation.

"And so we went forward with it, seeing the success ... in Sault Ste. Marie. We thought, 'let's give it a try here in Sudbury.' And we knew our community would respond incredibly well to it."

In Timmins, a 50-50 draw has been running about five months.

Jason Laneville, executive director of the Timmins and District Hospital Foundation, says the draw has been a huge success.

"The first four months alone, our average prize has been $274,000," he said.

"So if you can imagine, that's what people could win. And then the hospital foundation gets the other $274,000 to use for high priority needs in the hospital.

Draw enables critical equipment purchases

The win-win lottery means northern hospitals have been able to purchase new gastroscopes, stretchers, cautery machines, isolated incubators for NICU patients, breast biopsy pumps for cancer screening, cardiac monitors, defibrillators and ventilators.

"In the Sault, we let the community weigh in on how they thought the dollars should be spent," Martone said.

"[More than half] the respondents said ventilators, obviously because of covid and the pandemic. That's top of mind."

So far, the highest jackpot in Sault Ste. Marie has been $279,000.

"It's always great to hear the stories ... especially the shocking surprise to the winners, because they often don't know what the jackpot is when they do win."

In Timmins, the highest winning so far was $386,000, won by a group of five oncology nurses at the hospital.

And in Sudbury, the highest jackpot was $585,000.

"We were so, so excited to give that away to a young family," Keating said.

"[The father, who worked internationally] was telling us that this was a really good opportunity for him to stay at home with his young kids and his family. So, you know, these are the kinds of stories that just have a tremendous impact on our community."

For anyone questioning whether or not hospitals should be in the business of running a lottery, Martone says the 50-50 draws have helped them at a time when fundraising is a challenge.

"Any fundraiser we do that's in lottery or gaming is to raise money for a great cause. So we've enjoyed the benefits of that," she said.

"Like my counterparts in Timmins and in Sudbury, we've not been able to run [our usual fundraising] events this year. So this has filled some gaps."

Laneville says the $2 million they've been able to raise in four short months has put $1 million in a winner's pocket and $1 million towards the Timmins hospital.

"But we also are sitting with a capital equipment list of $35 million for the next five years. So that's $7 million a year that we really have to raise. And that's aside from any other upcoming projects — that's just replacing existing equipment," he said.

"So the need is great and this certainly will be able to put a dent into it."