In a few days, if we haven’t already, many of us will receive help from the Government of Quebec to counter the effects of inflation. Nearly 4.6 million individuals whose individual income does not exceed $50,000 will benefit from the maximum amount of $600, while 1.5 million taxpayers whose income is between $54,000 and $100,000 will receive sum of $400.
Many maintain that this aid is not targeted enough and that it will be clearly insufficient for the most vulnerable populations in serious need of services. It is clear, in fact, that ever-growing needs are forcing more and more people to turn to charitable organizations because of the high cost of living.
Virtually all organizations working in the field of health, shelters for the homeless and food banks, to name a few, report facing unprecedented demand. A recent Food Banks Canada survey found that one in five Canadians say they are hungry because of the rising cost of food. Who would’ve believed that ? Twenty percent of the population of one of the richest countries in the world suffers from hunger!
There are consequences to overstretching charities. To the point where exhaustion has become the lot of many managers, despite their reputation for doing a lot with little. They persist out of necessity, self-sacrifice, chronic lack of funding and resources. Not to mention that the salary conditions are far from doing justice to the efforts made. Most funding given to charities goes to projects and cannot be used to support basic operating costs. Added to this is a constant decrease in the number of donors and the reduced ability of many volunteers to assume the costs of their generosity, such as gasoline, for example.
The multiple contributions of charities and non-profit organizations have never been more essential.
I encourage all those who are in a position to help to do so, both by their monetary donations and by their investment of time. Because that’s what it’s all about: volunteering is an investment. Giving a little of your time creates a very strong sense of accomplishment and belonging to a community, while contributing to collective health. At the dawn of a new year, why wouldn’t we make a collective commitment to donate our time, our expertise or a sum of money to an organization of our choice, according to our means?
If that can motivate some, the charitable credit for donations totaling more than $200 becomes more attractive. You could benefit from a deduction of up to 55% of your donation. In addition to contributing to an essential cause, it is also a significant tax advantage when filing your next tax return.
I grew up in the world of volunteering, my parents were very involved in the community of Saint-Paul, the village where I grew up, near Joliette. Supporting causes I believed in has been a formative experience in both my personal and professional life. I invite you to live this experience, if only once. But be careful, you might taste it…