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Cool Aid Society extends fundraising campaign to help fill gaps in the community

Now until June 10, donations will be matched with the goal of raising $170,000
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A donated Easter meal of roasted ham, vegetables, scalloped potatoes and more, is served at the Victoria Cool Aid Society. Cool Aid Society’s Homecoming Matching Challenge aims to reach $170,000 to help fund its programs. (Black Press Media file photo)

To fill funding gaps for lesser-known programs such as the grocery gift card initiative, employment training and seniors programs, Cool Aid Society has extended its largest annual fundraiser – the Homecoming Matching Challenge – by one week.

The challenge will double every dollar donated, up to $85,000, now until June 10. This year’s fundraising goal is $170,000 –$6,000 more than the $164,000 raised last year.

“Those of us who have done well in society need to step up and contribute to the social fabric, and I think Cool Aid is a vital part of that,” said John Knappett, CEO of Knappett Projects, in a news release. “We want to make sure that everyone in need has access to these vital support services so I, and several other supporters, came together to create this challenge. We hope it will inspire others to give.”

READ ALSO: Victoria Cool Aid Society aims to raise $100,000 through matching challenge

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The fundraiser is in response to a currently heightened need for efforts addressing food security, employment training and seniors. More than half (53 per cent) of Cool Aid’s supportive housing residents are over 55.

“With soaring prices, we’re seeing a lot of people struggling just to maintain the basics, like having enough to eat,” said Lori Angelini, Cool Aid’s director of philanthropy and community engagement, in the release. “The last two years have been particularly hard on our seniors who couldn’t take part in activities or be in community like they did before COVID.”

To kick off this year’s effort, Peninsula Co-op donated $25,000 to the match and encourages others to step up in supporting the growing number of marginalized people in our community. The matching challenge was made possible thanks to the additional sponsorship from Knappett Projects, Jim Thomson and Kathleen Brandsma, the Stovel Family, the Viveka Foundation Fund, TL Housing Solutions, Butler Concrete and Aggregates, and Megson Fitzpatrick.


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