ToastyToes Waterloo Region looks for more community backing as donations dry up

The holiday giving season is an important time for charities, but this year there's a lot of competition for donor dollars, leaving some organizations falling short of their goals.

In October, ToastyToes Waterloo Region launched its annual 2022 fundraising campaign to raise money to purchase socks for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

The organization said last year it raised $62,000. This year, the organization has raised less than half of that with under a week left in the campaign.

“That’s going to really have an impact on the number of organizations that we support that have really come to rely on this fund,” said Sharon Gilroy-Dreher, founder of ToastyToes Waterloo Region. “We're the only charity that provides dedicated funds for socks, and they really are an essential item for shelters and supportive housing.”

Gilroy-Dreher believes the rising costs of gas, groceries and housing are likely to blame for the decrease in donations.

“The campaign ends this weekend, and I am really hopeful that the community will do what it does every year, which is wrap their arms around this ask and see us through to the finish line,” said Gilroy-Dreher.

While ToastyToes has received some big donations this year, it's usually the accumulation of small amounts from individuals that make up the bulk of what they raise.

What I tell people is that every $2 means a pair of socks. So your coffee can impact one person, so one pair of socks for one person is great, so if that's all you have today, that's awesome,” said Gilroy-Dreher.

It's not just ToastyToes that's finding this year tough.

Many organizations across the country are dealing with fewer donations, despite the demand for services continually increasing.

“Around this time of year it is the time when charities mostly get their donations - it's a really critical period of time,” said Nicole Danesi with CanadaHelps.

A recent Ipsos poll conducted for CanadaHelps warns people are planning on giving less.

“About 13 per cent of Canadians are expecting to give more, and that's nationally this year, 20 per cent of Canadians, however, are expected to reduce their giving. So it is a wide challenge across the board,” said Danesi.

People are being urged to donate what they can this giving season, as organizations say even small amounts can make a big difference.