Ottawa’s Shepherds of Good Hope charity is worried about what the latest Canada Post strike will mean for donations, heading into its busiest fundraising season. The organization says it helps thousands of clients each month, providing meals, shelter, supportive housing and wraparound services. However, the Shepherds of Good Hope relies heavily on mailed in donations, with about 25 percent of their fundraising coming in the post. “This is a scary time of year to be going through another postal strike,” Director of Philanthropy Meighan Hartley told CTV News Ottawa. “We rely heavily on the generosity of our community and behind every donation is a meal served and a bed to sleep in at night so it’s not just a donation, it’s our ability to serve our neighbours when they are in the most need.” The organization’s Richcraft Hope Centre on Murray Street, which opened in May, is a tribute to the community’s generosity, says Hartley. Since it opened, 48 individuals now have a place to call home and thousands more have access to supports. Susan Riley says she knows firsthand the strain the strike has put on fundraising. Her family’s donations are usually mailed in but now have to be made online or over the phone, or like on Thursday, in person with the delivery of a turkey to help out with Thanksgiving Dinner. Riley says receiving direct mail from the Shepherds of Good Hope helps remind people to engage with the organization and donate. “You get that letter in the mailbox and you look at it and you say ‘oh yes it’s that time of the year,’ be it Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter. It makes you think about it because you see it physically,” Riley said. “For me donating is part of being an individual who is fortunate to have the ability to feed my family and my extended family but there are a lot of people that can’t do that.” The postal worker strike started on Sept. 25 after Canada Post announced it would bring in sweeping changes to the postal service, including ending door-to-door delivery in favour of community mailboxes. Hartley hopes charities like the Shepherds of Good Hope will not be forgotten while their postal link is disrupted. “So, we are really asking the community to reach out get a hold of us. We can accept donations online, in person, even over the phone,” Hartley said.
