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Postal strike affecting Hospital Foundation donations

December 5, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The current strike by Canada Post employees is having a direct effect on charitable organizations across the country that rely on mail to receive donations.

There have been no negotiations since the postal workers went on strike and stopped delivering mail on Nov. 15.

While many charitable organizations accept donations through electronic means, some people still prefer to send a cheque to their favourite charity.

With many people inspired to give to causes around the holiday season, this time of year accounts for 40 to 60 per cent of donations given to many charities.

Many seniors who donate to charities have limited knowledge of electronic-based donation platforms and prefer to give donations by cheque.

The Stevenson Memorial Hospital Foundation (SMHF) is starting to feel the impact of the non-delivery of mail and is trying to minimize the impact of the strike.

SMHF CEO Frank Cerisano, while sympathetic to postal workers and their intentions, said the Foundation is “more concerned than anything else,” about the impact a prolonged strike will have on donations to the Foundation.

“It’s common knowledge that many charities across Canada still have donors that rely on the mail,” Mr. Cerisano said. “It won’t affect just the Hospital Foundation, but charities across the country. In December, the average charity will receive between 40 and 60 per cent of their donations. For the Hospital Foundation, this will represent around 15 per cent. We will start to contact donors offering online options, and see if they can get some online assistance. They are always welcome to drop off donations right at the hospital.”

Dropping off donations, however, may not be practical for someone who doesn’t drive or has mobility issues.

A drop in donations will mean “there will be less equipment bought for the hospital,” Mr. Cerisano said, adding “We will get through this season. We’ll have a better idea of our financial standpoint later.  We’re trying to minimize the impact.”

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