In an effort to make up for lost revenue due to COVID-19, Beaver Valley Outreach (BVO) will be taking part in the Great Canadian Giving Challenge.
“We are calling on everyone to chip in and help us raise funds so that we can keep the lights on, provide emergency services, develop and initiate protocols and safety measures for all our programs and services,” says Carolyn Letourneau, executive director of BVO, which has been providing the Town of the Blue Mountains and surrounding community with a number of social support services for more than 35 years.
The Great Canadian Giving Challenge is a national public contest aimed at benefiting registered Canadian charities. It is held over the entire month of June and offers up a grand prize of $20,000.
BVO will receive one entry towards the grand prize for each dollar donated to BVO through the Canada Helps donation page.
“If we won the Great Canadian Giving Challenge, we would be able to help make up that shortfall and support our community as we all live and do our best in these unprecedented times,” Letourneau says.
Since the onset of COVID-19, the charitable organization was forced to close the doors of its Treasure Shop, which is its primary source of income.
Letourneau says BVO tends not to hold traditional fundraisers, with the exception of a capital campaign that was held a few years ago to assist in acquiring a new building.
“The reason we don't typically do fundraisers is because we have our Treasure Shop, which provides funding to the organization through the sale of donated goods and second-hand clothing from our community,” she explains. “Without the income from our Treasure Shop, we have a shortfall in our revenue.”
The challenge will stop accepting donations at midnight on June 30 and the grand prize winner will be on Canada Day, July 1.
Last year, over 109,000 Canadians participated in the Great Giving Challenge, donating more than $14 million to more than 12,000 charities.
“The more dollars and entries we receive, the better the chance that we will win the prize,” adds Letourneau.
For those interested in helping BVO inch closer towards the grand prize, visit: www.canadahelps.org/en/gcgc/61444