Charities say lack of volunteers a challenge for holiday fundraising

Nova Scotia charities are in their busiest fundraising period of the year, but they say a lack of volunteers is their main challenge to meeting objectives.

The Christmas Kettle Campaign is the Salvation Army's biggest fundraising drive of the year, according to regional spokesperson Gina Haggett.

Haggett said that while the organization is about $75,000 behind its goal of $2 million, it is still doing better than last year.

She said the organization has had to be agile in adapting to the pandemic. It has introduced tap payments at its 250 Maritime Christmas kettle locations.

But, she said, the lack of volunteers is affecting efforts.

"If we don't have someone standing there thanking the public and expressing our appreciation, we tend not to draw visibility to the kettle, so people just walk on by," Haggett said.

Volunteers crucial

She said it is crucial to have volunteers at the kettles closer to Christmas when people crowd the malls and other locations where kettles are located.

If it weren't for volunteers, she said, the organization would have to hire people. That would reduce the amount of money available for charitable work.

One of the surprising things the Salvation Army has discovered in the campaign, she said, is that young people have been keen to donate.

"Some of the greatest contributors at the food courts where we have the kettles are the youth that are millennial or under millennial age, the Gen Z," Haggett said.

"It's amazing how how giving they are within their own hearts. They just want to give to others."

While the Salvation Army is a little short of its fundraising target, Souls Harbour Rescue Mission has had a good year, according to CEO and founder Michelle Porter.

She said Nova Scotians supported them last year and have continued to be "incredibly generous."

While the total amount of donations isn't necessarily going up, Souls Harbour has been able to meet the needs and even expand their programs, Porter said.

Mission Mart volunteers

She said while donations have been good, a shortage of volunteers has been a big challenge for their social enterprise Mission Mart — the thrift stores it operates in Halifax, Bridgewater and Truro.

She said Mission Mart is 90 per cent run by volunteers and some aren't quite ready to return, even with COVID-19 precautions in place.

Some people are volunteering at home, Porter said. But Mission Mart locations need people in the stores and the organization is grateful for those who have answered the call.

Souls Harbour has a home that houses eight women and their children as well as a men's life recovery shelter that houses nine men.