Windsor's Downtown Mission is being impacted by the ongoing strike at Canada Post.
Executive Director Rukshini Ponniah-Goulin says November and December are typically the time when they receive the most number of donations to the mission—around 65 per cent to 80 per cent of their donations for the full year are made in those two months.
Ponniah-Goulin says a lot of those donations come in through the mail.
"We depend on those donations coming in to allow us to operate as we currently are, which will get us to the end of the year, and oftentimes, it actually helps us give a little boost to our following year's operations to help us get through lower months in donations," she says.
The strike by more than 55,000 Canada Post workers over wages and working conditions is just over two-weeks-old.
Ponniah-Goulin says this is hurting quite a bit because they still have to pay the bills.
"It puts in danger our being able to purchase food, keep our doors open, and pay our staff to be here 24 hours a day; it's all affected, right? Yes, it definitely affects all of our operations here at the mission," she says.
The community is being reminded that they will gladly accept donations in person at the Downtown Mission office located at 875 Ouellette Ave., through e-transfer, or online at www.downtownmission.com. Click here to donate.
Ponniah-Goulin says they hope donations in the mail come in quickly.
"So that we can keep up with our bills, right? Because we can't, unfortunately, put off paying off bills or put off paying staff, and we can purchase things as much as we can on credit, but we still have to pay that credit," she says.
The Canada Post mail stoppage is also impacting donations for the Windsor Youth Centre's birthday campaign.
The Windsor Youth Centre, a program of the Downtown Mission, provides young people aged 16-29 with essentials like food and hygiene items as well as opportunities to develop their personal identity and look into growth opportunities in a safe place.
All donations to the Birthday Campaign are designated to WYC's programs and services.