As this is National Volunteer Week, it seems fitting to acknowledge that without the efforts of volunteers and donors, the Community Foundation North Okanagan would not exist. The same could be said for any of the charities and non-profit organizations in the North Okanagan.
The Community Foundation North Okanagan is one of a handful of local funders providing much-needed money to an incredible range of programs and projects right here in our region. As our volunteer grants committee members prepare to review over 60 applications for our annual Smart & Caring Communities Grants cycle, we are well aware that it often falls on volunteers to find the resources to keep their organization going, take it to the next level, or simply keep the lights on so they can continue to offer the valuable services they care so much about.
Most non-profits, whether they’re feeding children or seniors, offering mental health support, helping animals in need, or creating wonderful visual art or music to soothe our souls – start each fiscal year at the same starting point: zero.
And yet, somehow, they persevere. Finding every dollar needed to carry on. Through grants, donations, charging a modest fee for their goods or services, or depending on that core group of volunteers who continually show up to host fundraising events – they hang in there for the greater good.
To those of you out there writing grant applications – good luck! To those of you planning your next fundraising event – our thoughts are with you! And to those of you who are donors, bless you! Donors make this whole non-profit machine keep chugging along.
As usual, we have significantly more grant applications than we have money to cover – my sincere appreciation goes out to the donors who keep giving, who dig deep and who seem to always come up with a little bit more than last year.
Oh, and as tax time also looms, I hope you all have your charitable tax receipts ready to go! Remember, if you need a tax receipt (at this point for next year!) there are hundreds of charities doing incredible things that could benefit from your generosity. Research shows that “…when people give to charities, it activates regions of the brain associated with pleasure, social connection, and trust, creating a ‘warm glow’ effect. Scientists also believe that altruistic behaviour releases endorphins in the brain, producing the positive feeling known as the ‘helper’s high.’” (– Jorge Moll and colleagues at the National Institutes of Health, 2006)
To find out more about how your community foundation supports our volunteer sector, please visit Community Foundation North Okanagan. To find out how you can give in a way that is meaningful for you, reach out to Leanne at 250.542.8655 or Leanne@cfno.org.