Provincial grant, a surprise to us- Christmas Cheer

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This article was published 09/12/2024 (282 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Brandon and Westman Christmas Cheer organization has described the $25,000 grant from the Manitoba government as a “welcome surprise” and a significant boost this holiday season.

The funding, announced late Friday by Premier Wab Kinew and Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine, is intended to help the charity deliver food and toys to families in need during the holidays.

Treasurer Bob Walberg told the Sun the donation was an unexpected development.

“We don’t normally get provincial or federal funding. We operate just on local people donating — businesses, and community groups. This wasn’t something we applied for; it just came out of the blue,” Walberg said in an interview on Saturday.

The grant, he said, comes as the organization grapples with a noticeable decline in donations due to the ongoing postal strike, adding many donors still prefer sending cheques through the mail, which has traditionally accounted for a significant portion of contributions.

“Given the mail strike, this funding is timely,” he said. “As of now, we’re about $7,000 behind where we were at the same time last year. That gap roughly matches what we’d usually receive through the mail, so it seems the strike has had a direct impact.”

Last year’s donation breakdown, he said, revealed that 139 individuals contributed via mail, while 142 dropped off cheques in person and online donations, while increasing, still represent a smaller fraction of the overall funding.

Before the provincial government’s contribution, Walberg said, the organization had raised just under $30,000 by Dec. 1 — less than a third of its $92,000 budget.

Walberg said “the $25,000 donation would help ease any potential shortfall this year. Our goal is to raise $92,000, which matches our projected expenses. This funding will certainly ease the burden for this year.”

He added the donation wouldn’t significantly change their operations, as the organization has already reached its capacity.

“We’re at our maximum now. A couple of years ago, we determined the most we can handle is 1,100 hampers, based on our physical space and volunteer capacity,” he said. The hampers are distributed to families registered by social service agencies, schools, and churches, which identify those in need.

Walberg added that the funding also offers long-term stability.

“Over the years, we’ve had good and bad years in fundraising. Before COVID, our annual budget was lower — around $60,000,” he said. “Since then, it’s increased by about 30 per cent, reflecting greater demand. This funding helps stabilize our operations for the next couple of years.”

During the announcement, Kinew emphasized the importance of community-based efforts during the holiday season.

“This year, we’re investing in Christmas,” Kinew said. “Manitobans who need a little extra help around the holidays rely on the good work of cheer boards, and we want to make sure everyone has a happy holiday this year.”

Minister Fontaine echoed the sentiment, highlighting the value of hamper deliveries for those in need.

“We’re doing what we can to make sure that holiday cheer is available to more Manitoba families by supporting the Christmas Cheer Board of Winnipeg and Brandon-Westman Christmas Cheer.”

As postal disruptions continue, the provincial government has also set up cheque drop-off locations to facilitate charitable giving. A full list of locations is available at www.manitoba.ca/postaldisruption.

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