Moving beyond homelessness (guest blog)

We recently ran a matching gift campaign through Chimp, and we’re inspired by and thankful for the results:

• $37,600 was raised
• 59 charities trying to end homelessness received the money

The campaign was a tangible way of meeting the challenge set out in our Beyond Homelessness Forum, to forge new partnerships for building more physical and social spaces for those in need. Donors’ enthusiastic response means that the forum generated considerably more donations to the cause than we spent on preparing the event itself.

The forum’s keynote and workshop sessions urged holistic “home-making” approaches that cut across socio-economic divides and the connection of the public, private and charitable sectors.

So we are particularly encouraged that people gave the strongest support to organizations that are modelling holistic care and a partnering attitude as they assist youth at risk (Youth Unlimited and Inner Hope Youth Ministries) and refugees and immigrants (New Hope Community Services Society).

Benefic Group matched donations made through the campaign, and we are deeply grateful for their – and every donor’s – generosity.  Thanks also to Chimp and its founder, John Bromley, for an invaluable tool that helped us raise so much, so quickly and easily.

– Doug Peat, City Gate Leadership Forum

(A big thank-you to our guest blogger and the City Gate Leadership Forum for running their campaign through Chimp. We’re glad it was so successful and give you props for all your work to help Vancouver move beyond homelessness.)