The ongoing Canada Post strike has thrown a wrench into the holiday plans of many Canadians, and that includes the operations of the Salvation Army right here in Yellowknife.
Sharing some details on the matter was Tony Brushett, the Executive Director and Associate Coprs Officer for the Yellowknife Salvation Army. He explained that the Yellowknife location has also been feeling the effects of the strike. According to Tony, around half of all the donations they receive come to them through the mail during the holiday season, and this year, they have seen a substantial decrease in the number of resources that have been donated.
While much of the fundraising for the Salvation Army is done locally, the strike has had a noticeable effect on the financial side as well.
“While we are a fair bit behind in those mail in donations, we are reaching out through as many avenues as possible to try and get back on track. A couple of examples would be, we are about 65% through our Christmas kettle campaign, and we have just now reached 50% of our goal of $45,000 in the kettles.
“Also, we would normally receive about $10,000 to $15,000 in donations in the mail, and to date, we of course have not received any. With the Christmas campaign looking after 500+ families, with Christmas hampers and toys, this program costs as much as $80,000 annually.”
On the bright side, Tony reports that the Salvation Army currently has a full slate of volunteers working both at the site, and at the various kettle donation stands around the city. That being said, the door is still open for future volunteers to come lend a hand.
Anyone interested in volunteering can get in contact with Jennifer Butler by sending an email to [email protected], or by calling their office at 867-920-4673.
