A Yellowknife Community Foundation and United Way NWT joint campaign to help vulnerable people in the NWT during the Covid-19 pandemic concluded Friday with more than $160,000 jointly raised between the two organizations.
The Together, We Are Strong campaign, which was launched on April 21, had the Yellowknife Community Foundation pledging to match dollar-for-dollar funds raised by the United Way NWT. Initially the deadline had been up to May 15 with goal of reaching $50,000.
The deadline and goal were soon extended to May 29 with a plan for $75,000, which was reached this week.
Robin Greig, president of the community foundation stated in a news release that he was especially proud of the "historic" accomplishment for his organization.
"It's during challenging times that the North really shines," Greig stated. "In a few short weeks, Northerners donated $75,000 to the United Way NWT and we answered that by matching that with our own donation of $75,000 making it the single largest donation in the Foundation's (27-year) history."
Meghan Kennedy, United Way NWT COVID-19 committee chair said her organization's campaign will wrap up on Friday (May 29).
"We have our full matching from the community foundation but we have also exceeded (our $75,000) and to date we have (total together) reached over $160,000," she said, noting that the United Way was able to get $86,000 in donations alone.
"We've had an amazing response from the community from all facets. We had the $25,000 announcement from Yellowknife Direct Charge Co-op last week. There were also lots of other businesses that really pulled together even in these difficult times and also just community members who have stepped up to make to make their own contributions."
Continuing to accept applications for Emergency Community Fund
The Yellowknife Community Foundation announced also announced on May 19 that it is accepting applications from city charities - "qualified donees" - who are helping vulnerable people "disproportionately affected by Covid-19" through the federal Emergency Community Fund announced by the prime minister April 21.
The community foundation stated in a news release that local groups can apply for $200,000 available up to the end of the day on July 27.
"We actually as the Yellowknife Community Foundation have up to $200,000 to disperse through that fund," said Robin Greig, president of the Yellowknife Community Foundation.
NNSL Media reported last week that the United Way NWT also has money available to territory organizations through the same fund - $101,000. The deadline to apply for their share of the fund is Friday (May 29) and the list of recipients will be announced in June.
So between the two organizations, there is $301,000 of federal money available through the same Emergency Community Support Fund.
Two application processes, one campaign
Greig said although the two organizations - his and the United Way NWT - have money from the same federal source, they are going to jointly examine organizations so that money is fairly distributed.
Kennedy said there is an ability for organizations to apply to the United Way NWT and Yellowknife Communication Foundation for Emergency Community Fund money, but the applications have to be different purposes for the funds.