Giving Tuesday 2024: Three Strathcona County non-profits to support

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While many people will focus on getting the best deals this coming Black Friday, others will focus on how to best support the community on Giving Tuesday.

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Touted as the world’s largest generosity movement, Giving Tuesday — Dec. 3 — will see people around the world give their time, provide an act of kindness, help others, or make a donation to charities and non-profit organizations.

In the spirit of making the holiday a little brighter for your fellow neighbour, here are three local non-profits to support for the 2024 Giving Tuesday:

1. Strathcona Food Bank

Marking 40 years in the community, the Strathcona Food Bank is experiencing unprecedented demand for 2024. Compared to 2021 data, the non-profit is reporting a 200 per cent in clients turning to it for help, and it projects that it will prepare 8,800 hampers in total by the end of the year.

Many clients seeking aid are citing rising grocery costs, housing costs, and overall inflationary pressures.

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“Our demand always increases at this time of year. As the weather gets colder, people are choosing to pay their power bills over groceries. And December is an expensive month as families want to purchase special gifts for the kids and, therefore, turn to us to help support with food,” Strathcona Food Bank co-chair Tracey Cyca said about why people should donate. “Everyone deserves to eat healthy food that aligns with their cultural and personal preferences. We are there for those that have to make these hard choices.”

You can get a jump ahead of Giving Tuesday on Saturday, Nov. 30 when Strathcona County Transit will host its 30th annual Stuff-A-Bus fundraiser at all Save-On-Foods in Sherwood Park. Residents can drop off donations of non-perishable food items or cash to the buses parked outside of the store’s main doors.

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“We are in need of no-sugar added juice and juice boxes; non sugar added fruit and fruit cups. This is in line with our nutrition policy. We also need ready to serve soup, with easy to open pop tops, and toilet paper,” Cyca said about the most needed items.

You can donate at any time by clicking the ‘donate now’ tab at strathconafoodbank.ca.

2. Strathcona Christmas Bureau

Just marking its 45th anniversary this past weekend, the Strathcona Christmas Bureau (SCB) is on track for its busiest campaign to-date. Last week, SCB tracked nearly a 50 per cent increase in clients compared to the same time last year, and it’s forecasting to help an additional 500 people.

With increased inflationary costs and a forecasted jump in demand, SCB has decided to jump its 2024 fundraising target to $140,000. As of Monday, Nov. 25, it had collected less than $31,000.

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“As the holiday season approaches, we are reminded of the joy, love, and warmth that this time of year brings. But for many in our community, the holidays can be a time of stress and heartache due to financial struggles,” SCB co-chair Jodi Powell said. “By supporting the Strathcona Christmas Bureau, you help provide gifts, meals, and holiday cheer to children, seniors, and families who might otherwise go without. Your contribution does more than fill stockings—it fills hearts and homes with the magic of the season.”

Donations can also be made online at StrathconaChristmasBureau.com. Cheques made payable to the Strathcona Christmas Bureau can be mailed to P.O. Box 3525 Sherwood Park, T8H 2T4. In addition, Fire Station #1 on Sherwood Drive will accept toy donations and can securely receive cash and cheque donation. Also, keep an eye out for the new tap-to-donate machine, where residents can tap in increments of $10, $20 and $50 donations.

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Toy donations can also be left in the Strathcona Christmas Bureau donation bins, which can be found at various Sherwood Park businesses.

“One hundred per cent of our donations stay in our county. Oftentimes you’ll see Santa’s Anonymous boxes around town, but that doesn’t stay here, it goes into the city (Edmonton), so we’d really love everybody to use our boxes,” Powell told local Chamber of Commerce members during the Thursday, Nov. 21 breakfast meeting.

If you need help this Christmas, call the client intake line 780-918-2521 (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays) or go to strathconaChristmasBureau.com and go to the hampers tab. Client in-take will end on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 4 p.m.

3. A Safe Place

A Safe Place, which is also celebrating its 40th anniversary, provides shelter and services to those experiencing domestic abuse and violence. For the past four decades, it has helped more than 25,300 women and children — and there is no signs of its demand going down as non-profit continues to run at 100 per cent capacity.

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“There’s been a huge increased in the number of calls coming into our crisis line and an increase in requests for shelter,” A Safe Place’s executive director Karen Kadatz previously told The News. “We also find alternative places for people who call us seeking shelter when we’re full or until we can fit them in.”

The non-profit is looking to raise $30,000 during its Tree of Hope campaign, which will be hosted at the Sherwood Park Mall until Dec. 23. All proceeds will support A Safe Place’s operations and some funds are used to make Christmas brighter for those who are staying at the shelter during the holidays, which will be close to 60 people this year.

“A Safe Place relies heavily on the support of our community, especially during the holiday season. We do no receive funding to celebrate the holidays or to provide gifts to shelter residents,” Kadatz told The News this week. “December is the month we receive 90 per cent of our donations. This year, we are concerned that the mail strike will affect the number of donations coming in. People can donate online or give us a call to make arrangements.”

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The organization also has two wish lists on its website. One is for items to support women and children arriving at the shelter who have few or no personal belongings and those basic supplies and gifts help them feel more at home. Some suggested items include new pyjamas for women and children of all ages and sizes, news socks and underwear, new shoes and boots, art supplies and journals, new unwrapped toys, diapers, and full-sized toiletries. Another list of items, such as new or like new luggage, housewares, bedding, towels, small appliances, and cleaning supplies supports the new beginnings of families escaping domestic violence.

To donate, go to asafeplace.ca and click the top donate tab. You can also call the office at 780-464-7232.

If you are experiencing domestic violence or are concerned for a loved one’s safety, call the 24/7 crisis line at 780-464-7233.

[email protected]

X: LindsayDMorey

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