Charities race against time after postal strike delays donations

Local charities that depend on mail service for financial support this time of year are counting the hours until the Canada Post strike comes to an end.

Postal workers were back on the picket lines Monday after a month-long strike, but on Tuesday it’s back to business to the relief of many, including staff at the Barrie Food Bank.

“We are going to be pretty close to our 300,000 pounds of food goal but the $1 million in donations is a little bit more of a struggle, and the Canada Post strike has not helped that,” said Karen Shuh, executive director with the Barrie Food Bank.

With the mail expected to start flowing again, time is running out to get all the donations in before the end of the month with a major backlog expected to slow the process.

“It will be a rush only because it’s the calendar year end, so anything that comes in we want to receive in the fiscal year of 2024. So, it will be a rush to get these things processed in time,” explained Shuh.

Shuh said the food bank received just under half a million dollars via cheque last holiday season.

Charities of all kinds find themselves in a similar situation. After years of relying on mailed donations many don’t know what they will get or when with just nine days to Christmas.

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Christmas Cheer in Barrie is celebrating its 50th year, with a financial goal of $450,000 in cash donations. As of Monday morning, it reached the quarter of a million-dollar mark.

It is also hoping all the donations caught up in the mail strike arrive soon.

“We’ve been driving around picking up cheques as a board, so we’ve absolutely missed out. We are really hoping there is a big stack of cash that is waiting in the mail that’s waiting to come through this week that can hopefully get us to where we need to be,” said Sandra Yaquo with Barrie and District Christmas Cheer.

While many local charities await potential donations in the mail this week distribution day for Christmas Cheer is on Thursday and Friday at the warehouse.

On Friday, the Canada Industrial Relations Board ordered postal workers to return to work, despite no deal having been reached between Canada Post and the union representing more than 55,000 employees.