Delta mayor, council and city staff are stepping up to help local charities meet the growing need caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this month, city manager Sean McGill launched a staff fundraising campaign called Delta4Delta to raise money for several local charities.
“I challenged staff over one weekend to try and raise $5,000 for nonprofit and social organizations in our community. I thought if we’d get $5,000 in a weekend we’d doing very well,” McGill said during a virtual townhall meeting on Thursday, May 14. “It [raised] $12,000.”
Within a week, staff had raised over $16,000. As of Wednesday afternoon, that total was $17,645.
“Staff understand that although we’re busy, we’re very fortunate, there’s a lot more people and having more challenging times than us, and it didn’t take a lot of prompting from me. I just helped sort of set it up and give them an avenue to donate funds,” McGill said.
“I’ve heard from the women’s shelter, I’ve heard from different organizations that are so thankful for that money in this time of need, and it’s been very well received and our staff are very excited about.”
The Delta4Delta campaign is now open to the public at canadahelps.org/en/pages/delta4delta. Donors can choose which charities they’d like their money to benefit, including:
• Boys and Girls Clubs Foundation of South Coast BC
• Earthwise Society (in support of their Family Harvest Box Program)
• Deltassist (in support of the North Delta Food Bank, Starfish Backpack Program and support for seniors)
• Kidsport Delta
• Ladner United Church (the site of Delta’s extreme weather shelter, which is remaining open until June to support the pandemic response)
• Lighthouse Church PAOC (operators of the South Delta Food Bank)
• Little House Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Society
• Reach Child and Youth Development Society
• WINGS Fellowship Ministries (operators of Delta’s Azure Place transition house)
Meanwhile, Mayor George Harvie announced last week he would be donating 10 per cent of his annual salary — $16,000 — to Deltassist and the Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation and Deltassist.
“Some of the cities have taken that 10 per cent, and they call it a symbolic reduction in their salaries. I don’t support that because all it does is go to general revenue — it doesn’t get out there in the community at all,” Harvie said during a virtual townhall meeting on Thursday, May 14.
“So my wife Gillian and I decided last month to donate 10 per cent of my annual remuneration, and we donated $16,000 to, divided between the Delta Hospital [and Community Health] Foundation, recognizing that all of their major events have been cancelled because the COVID, and to Deltassist, specifically towards their Starfish Backpack Program.”
Other members of council have also made donations to local charities that are working to support those in the community who need it most during these challenging times.
“I’d like to impress upon … all our community members — if you can, reach out and provide some financial assistance to our community service groups. They need it more than ever right now,” Harvie said.
RELATED: Delta School District staff helping feed local families
SEE ALSO: Delta Firefighters student initiative to support school district food security program
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