With Guelphites beginning to receive cheques from the provincial licence plate sticker rebate, Guelph Wish Fund for Children (GWFC) is hoping the community will participate in their new charity initiative aimed at collecting those rebates to help children.
The micro organization is asking those who can to donate a portion or all of their rebate to help the over 75 children the foundation helps who require services and equipment such as wheelchairs.
GWFC executive director Helen Loftin said for those who budgeted this money away and can continue living without the rebate there is no better time to donate those newfound funds.
“The $120 a year, or whatever it may be, that they are getting back is not going to be a make or break for them personally - for some for sure,” said Loftin. “But for others, perhaps they may want to do something else with it like give it to charity.”
Those who donate their licence plate sticker rebate are eligible for a taxable charity donation.
“This money is for wishes for local children, that’s why I appealed to Guelph and Wellington County,” said Loftin.
If a small percentage of those who received the rebate are able to redistribute the money, local charities can benefit greatly, said Loftin.
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With no set goal in mind, GWFC is asking those who can donate even a portion of their rebate to go onto the website and donate electronically as opposed to signing over their rebate cheque.
GWSF has over 75 children on its roster from Guelph and Wellington county who are facing life-altering injuries and are learning to live post-injury and children who are life-threatening illnesses or have rare and debilitating conditions.
“Of those sort of three criteria we have over 75 kids with us who just face a host of different challenges,” said Loftin. “It’s just really, really difficult for them and their families to just have want they want for their kids.”
The wish fund is available for children who are of age and able to agree on a wish they would like granted.
Sometimes, however, the family forgoes the typical wish and instead elects to use the money for crucial equipment needed for the child's education and development.
“There’s the stereotypical trip to Disneyland, or their celebrity visits, these kinds of trips or events,” said Loften. “But, for many of our families, the movies are used towards equipment, or services that help the child, for example, wheelchairs or a play set in the backyard adapted to the child's physical limitations, or a changing table for a child that is completely immobile yet is growing.”
The online donation portal can be found here.
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