Reaching seasonal fundraising goals a challenge for charities

Charities in northeastern Ontario say their organizations are struggling to reach their seasonal fundraising goals, and they believe there are a few reasons why.

In Sudbury, bills pile up in a kettle at a grocery store. However, the Salvation Army is still half way from reaching its goal of raising $205,000 through its annual kettle campaign.

"The challenge for us, which is a challenge for many, is finding volunteers to man a kettle for us for eight hours a day," Bruce Shirran, executive director said.

"We try to do that by having volunteers support us for two hour shifts. So it takes four people a day to man one kettle. We have 12 in the city."

Economy could be a factor

The executive director of Low Income People Involvement of Nipissing, Lana Mitchell, says her organization's Santa Fund is also struggling to find resources.

She says they hope to deliver toys and food baskets to more than 1,000 North Bay area families.

"It didn't snow until later on in the year and that affects when everybody gets into Christmas," she said.

Mitchell believes high gas prices may be scaring away volunteers. She also suggested cutbacks by local employers have caused a trickle-down effect to non-profit organizations.

"People who would normally be donating are now waiting on employment insurance or living on half of what they were before," she said.

Despite the slow start, both groups hope a push in these last few days before Christmas will help them get to their fundraising goals.