Some Edmonton charities are fighting some unprecedented summertime donation obstacles this season. Santa’s Anonymous, which collects money and toys to deliver the “spirit of Christmas” to families in need, is on flood watch in the city’s main depot. “We haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly what was happening until we caught it on video … On Saturday night, we saw a geyser of water coming up through the floor,” engagement manager Janine Foote told CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday. While the already collected presents don’t seem to be damaged, the organization is actively mitigating potential mould damage and worries about accessibility during much-needed donation preparations. “Our parking lot has been flooding, so you couldn’t access our parking lot at all to come drop off donations. That is definitely a concern. We do need about 10,000 toys in the depot to be able to open in November, and part of that is collecting toys throughout the entire season, including July, August and September.” The non-profit isn’t the only one in need. The Edmonton Veterans Food Bank Association also has an urgent call out for items. “Summertime is always a lean time because people are travelling, thinking about other things and places,” partnerships and fundraising manager Jill Poulton said. The food bank, which serves up to 300 clients out of Edmonton per month, has had to cancel out-of-town hamper deliveries and rely on grocery store partnerships to replenish stocks. The situation is ultimately dire, Poulton says, because of the specific demographic the organization aims to help. “When a veteran goes to a regular food bank, because of their training and conditioning in the military, leaders eat last. So they see single moms, the elderly, disabled, people that, in their mind, need the food more than they do … They’ll walk away hungry,” she said on Tuesday. Donations don’t tend to spike again for the Veterans Food Bank until Remembrance Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas. As with the rest of the country, Edmonton’s chapter of Canadian Blood Services also has an “immediate need” for donations, according to business development manager Jasmine Vallarta. “As of June 1, we have a 20-per-cent decline … When I say immediate need, I mean that we can get this turned around if we can get people to come in right away,” she said on Tuesday. The need is especially pertinent ahead of the August long weekend as people leave the city for festivals or camping. Jasmine Vallarta thinks summer drops in donations are par for the course but says intense rain and road flooding aren’t helping. “I think people are taking appointments, but then they’re not keeping them,” Vallarta said. ”We’re seeing that little decline because (of) unpredictability.” With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Miriam Valdes-Carletti
