The nonprofit sector is hurting and unable to make up for earlier losses during the holidays due to pandemic restrictions. If they don’t see support soon, many may be gone in the months to come, warns Mayor Cam Guthrie.
“If everybody in our city could kind of hold on to whatever charity they wish, whatever non-profit they wish ... it would just go a real long way,” he said during Monday’s committee of the whole meeting. “If you can, dig deep for whatever charity it is that’s close to your heart.”
During last week’s meeting of the Ontario Big City Mayors group – Guthrie’s final meeting as chair – they heard some “pretty startling” statistics from the Ontario Nonprofit Network that inspired the mayor’s plea.
Among them, Guthrie told council, is that 20 per cent of non-profit organizations will be forced to close in 2021, facing financial losses that collectively total $90 million while demand for 40 per cent of them has increased and expenses have risen 23 per cent.
Additionally, Guthrie said three-quarters of them “unfortunately” haven’t benefited from upper-tier government funding relief programs.
“It does echoe some of the stats locally, what we’re hearing,” he noted. “Could you please try your very best, try to sustain them as we’re all in this together. They’re such an important part of our community.”
Typically, the holidays is a time when charities and non-profit organizations benefit from the giving spirit at community events such as the Mayor’s Tree Lighting ceremony and the Holiday Market, both of which have been cancelled in light of rising COVID-19 cases.
“I can’t imagine the social and economic good these non-profits provide just in Guelph alone to see some of them close their doors next year because of lack of support,” Guthrie said.
“Once they’re gone, these types of organizations take years to come back. … It’s better to prevent than to try to reestablish them. And that’s a huge issue.”
