Local charities are receiving less in donations than in previous years, likely due to high inflation and people dealing with a budget crunch in time for the holidays.
One in four (22 per cent) of people plan to give less to charities in 2022, than they had in 2021, according to an IPSOS poll conducted on behalf of Canada Helps. With 17 per cent citing inflation and higher costs are the reasons they will be giving less to charities.
One in three Canadians (34 per cent) plan to access or already are using charitable services this year to meet their basic needs.
United Way Guelph, Wellington, Dufferin has seen this in action. For the campaign it ran through the LCBO around Thanksgiving this year, the agency received $72,000 in donations; in 2021 for the same campaign it received $86,000.
“So I think that's a perfect example. Because it's, you know, just folks that are out shopping and being asked to make a small contribution with their purchase. But there's definitely more people that this year said 'no,' as compared to last year,” said Glenna Banda, executive director of United Way.
“Expenses are just at an all-time high. So I think it's a reality for many people, that they're looking at ways that they need to cut back on their spending,” she said.
This year United Way is focusing its efforts to explain every dollar matters.
“There's definitely people that aren't as impacted by these financial pressures that we are asking …those that are feeling more comfortable and not feeling as impacted, can you give more this year?” said Banda.
At Chalmers, its food budget was $117,000 this year, and its costs have increased beyond the budget by 36.4 per cent.
As of Nov. 30, 2022, Chalmers saw 37,111 lbs. of food donated and expects to have 40,485 lbs of donations by the end of the year. In Dec. 2022 it had collected 59,492 lbs. of donated food.
In 2021 Chalmers served 14,495 people, and saw a 25.3 per cent increase in the people they served this year.
Chalmers schedule is Tuesday through Friday, usually the food leftover from one day would pass onto the next, but Vicki Olatundun, Chalmers executive director, said they are wiped out of food from one day to the next.
“We don't have a million dollars, but a million people have one,” said Olatundun.
“I'm always thinking what's going to happen to the families who are already financially challenged, already living below the poverty line, what's going to happen to them, if we come together as a community, they will be okay,” she said. “Once this economic storm blows over, they will still be here.”
This past Saturday at the Stuff an Emergency Vehicle where off-duty emergency services personnel collected donations of the Guelph Food Bank, they received 6,200 lbs. of food donations. They expected 12,000 lbs. of food like they had collected last year, said Leanne Swantko, Guelph Wellington Paramedic Service deputy chief.
