Knock on wood but it appears that the end of the Covid-19 pandemic that has gripped the world for nearly two years may finally be waning (although the new Omicron variant may place a damper on things, yet that remains to be seen – ed.). Vaccinations rates are climbing, hospitalizations are down, businesses and schools are open, crowds are gathering for concerts and sporting events, people are travelling, and families are reuniting for the Holidays. Life is slowly but certainly returning to normal.
As society emerges from its covid hibernation, there has been a push to reinvigourate sectors of the economy that have been devastated by lockdowns and mandates. Patrons are encouraged to resume dining in their favourite bistros and cafes. Those of us with “Covid hair” are feeling the need to visit our favourite barber or stylist. Small retail establishments are serving crowds they have not encountered since March of 2020. Cruises are being booked and resort reservations are being made.
As we have alluded in prior Blog entries, many parts of the charitable sector were also catastrophically impacted by the closures of the pandemic. Special event cancellations, membership fee deferments, lost donations and volunteer resignations have crippled social service agencies and community groups in every province. Many have laid off staff while others tragically closed permanently.
Thankfully a healthy number of charities have navigated their way through the strife with the generous backing of faithful donors and the energy of selfless volunteers. However, several types of charities continue to struggle with the financial damage wrought by the coronavirus crisis. Thus, when searching for a charity to support this Giving Tuesday and beyond, we strongly encourage you to consider directing your contributions to organizations in your communities like the following:
Museums
Few public organizations were as hard hit as museums during the pandemic shutdowns. As repositories of historical artifacts and cultural momentos, these institutions are heavily dependent on the revenue generated from admission receipts and gift shop merchandise sales. With zero foot traffic and unrelenting operating bills for 18 months, a majority of museums flirted with locking their doors for good. If you have some time in the coming Holiday Season, treat the family to tours of local museums and better still commit a monthly pledge to help them recuperate. Curators play a vital role in preserving our heritage and educating our young people of their past. It would be nice to ensure that none of that is lost for future generations.
Art Galleries
Like museums, art galleries rely on gate proceeds for a substantial portion of their revenue. Visual artists endure economic hardship at the best of times, hence the loss of opportunity to display their aesthetic pieces to enthusiasts and connoisseurs was calamitous. Humans do not live by bread alone and art is truly one of the aspects of our society which makes life worth living. Enable both artists and the galleries that showcase their pieces to thrive again in the near future by visiting and offering them your financial support.
Health Organizations
Covid-19 may have attracted the bulk of philanthropic support among causes related to health and diseases during the past two years, but at no time did that lessen the importance of charities dedicated to combating other illnesses. Heart disease, cancers, neurological disorders and other maladies continued to affect people throughout the pandemic. As society slowly gets its arms around SARS-CoV-2, this a good time to resume investing in the search for cures and treatments, awareness campaigns and support for families and individuals affected by these other illnesses.
International Aid
Vaccine rollouts and the distribution of testing kits and mask to developing nations has been a major priority for NGOs and aid groups in 2021. Yet several countries in Asia, Africa, Oceania and elsewhere are also exhibiting amplified poverty, hunger and sickness among it populace. Funding for charitable groups addressing these issues is desperately needed and contributing to such agencies would help position developing nations to embark on a post-Covid journey of hope.
Newcomer & Settlement Service Providers
The distinct needs of newcomers of various cultural groups are commonly served by organizations who understand the array of issues and challenges confronted by individuals adjusting to life in Canada. Seeking employment and training opportunities, English As A Second Language courses, daycare, and interpretation services are among the programs that have been negatively affected by Covid. Donating time, talent and treasure to settlement service providers is a nice way to make sure that newcomers feel welcome in their adopted home.
Community Living Services
Empowering people of varying abilities to tap into their innate talents and reach their full potential can be a profound means of helping everyone to thrive in a post-pandemic world. Nearly every community in Canada has local agencies that extend optimal participatory opportunities to people of varying abilities and donating to them can help make up for precious time lost to the pandemic.
Older Adult Activity Centres
Seniors residing in towns, cities and rural areas each experienced heightened levels of isolation during the pandemic that deeply affected their physical, mental and emotional well-being. Support for older adult activity centres will help re-integrate seniors with their communities by extending greater opportunities to engage in social inclusion, fitness, learning and healthy living programs.
