This past Tuesday, “Giving Tuesday”, we were reminded that every year, millions of Canadians donate to charities and nonprofit organizations.
By giving to organizations and groups that support causes dear to their hearts, donors want to contribute to the well-being of their fellow citizens and advance principles and values they believe in. According to a 2010 Statistics Canada survey, 94% of all Canadians 15 years and older give financial, food, clothing and similar donations. This is wonderfully generous and we can be rightfully proud of our record.
These organizations address some of the largest challenges in our lives: poverty, disease prevention, disaster relief, environmental degradation and homelessness. Unfortunately, the list goes on. And while it seems that almost everyone donates every year, the annual amount per donor in Canada in 2010 was just $123 (BC: $125) or about $10/month.
This statistic isn’t quite so wonderful when compared to how much we spend every month on coffee, cable TV or our cellphones!
As you reflect on your blessings over the past year and the challenges and opportunities of 2016, please consider increasing your support for the charities and non-profit organizations that work hard to address the immense challenges facing our own community and the world at large! You can provide immediate support by donating directly to your favorite cause or organization. Or you can provide longer term support through organizations such as the Comox Valley Community Foundation which invest your contributions in perpetuity and then benefit these same causes and organizations year after year from their annual income. Either way, you will be making a difference.