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Nanaimo non-profits take a hit during postal strike

Even once resolved, hospital foundation fears it may be too late for traditional donation window

Christmas is a busy time for donations to non-profits, but this year’s fundraising efforts took a hit because of the postal strike.

In 2023, the Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation received 73 per cent of the number of individual donations through donor responses to their mail-outs, equalling about 40 per cent of the funds for their winter campaign. For the fundraiser, the NDHF sends out card in the mail, then the donor sends it back with the donation attached. 

“This has been our biggest campaign of the year,” said Barney Ellis-Perry, foundation CEO. “We have 5,000 pieces of mail that were literally supposed to go to Canada Post the day the strike was called. So we have 5,000 pieces of mail sitting at our mail house.”

The hospital foundation isn’t alone, with the Loaves and Fishes Community Food Bank and B.C. Salvation Army also reporting a hit.

“The challenge we have is that this time of year is when the bulk of our donations come in, and usually at this time we’re getting flooded with mail, with cheques, and obviously we’re not getting those right now,” Peter Sinclair, the food bank’s executive director told the News Bulletin.

In the Salvation Army’s case, donations are down by over 50 per cent for their kettle campaign compared to last year, which Cpt. Gina Haggett, Salvation Army spokesperson, attributed to the strike.

The campaign serves as the organizations largest fundraiser, which supplies Salvation Army locations with funding throughout the year for programs and services.

“Salvation Army receives about 65 per cent of its [Christmas campaign funds] through the mail, so we are deeply deeply concerned about the postal disruption…” she said. “We are truly, truly sending the message out there to please don’t wait … to make your donations. There are many ways.”

On Friday, Dec. 13, federal labour minister Steven MacKinnon announced he was directing the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to determine whether Canada Post and CUPW can negotiate a resolution, with the power to order the employees back to work if a solution doesn’t appear to be in the near future. 

Even when mail service resumes, Ellis-Perry fears that due to the backlog, potential donors won’t be able to receive them until after Christmas and the traditional donation window will have closed. In an effort to combat the impact, he said the foundation has planned a phone day, letting donors from the previous year know how they can still contribute, and will even drive around and pick up donations in some cases.

The foundation is also investing in an ad campaign to let people know how to donate which includes social media, radio and newspapers. 

“A lot of people are in a routine. Many of our donors have been giving with us for 30-40 years, that’s just how they do it.…” he said. “There are definitely more people giving online, but it is not making up for what we would get via the mail.”

Despite the challenges, Ellis-Perry said the foundation remains committed to funding a $2.9-million SPECT-CT scanner – the most expensive single piece of medical equipment the foundation has ever attempted to purchase – within three years.

-files from Karl Yu/News Bulletin

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