EDMONTON – With the economic recession, the local chapters of two popular charities are struggling to keep up with demand.
Kidsport and Jumpstart, both charities that help underprivileged children participate in a variety of sports, have seen unprecedented demand in the first quarter of 2016.
The chair of Jumpstart Edmonton said there have been 750 applicants from January to March 2016. Compare that to 435 applicants in all of 2015. “Every dollar counts there’s no doubt about it,” Gerry Feist said. “The funds have all been used up in the first quarter. It will interesting to see where we go in the next quarter.”
Both charities operate solely on donations.
Families wanting help must apply through an online screening process which takes into consideration a number of factors including income.
The extra help these charities provide means the world to mothers like Julie Mjelve. The widowed mother of three children, all with special needs, just wants her children to stay active. “Get them involved in something where they get to make friends, they get to learn about team sports and how to interact with other kids,” Mjelve said.
Jumpstart has 300 chapters across Canada and is made up of volunteers from Canadian Tire stores as well as 31 local community groups, like the Boys and Girls Clubs and the YMCA/YWCA, among others.
“It’s everything from swimming to football to hockey, soccer, wheelchair basketball. You name it. As long as it has to do with kids being active,” Feist said.
The organization has seen a 75 per cent increase in demand this year.
Thanks to generous donations from strangers, Mjelve’s son can play soccer and her daughters can dance.
Another local organization, KidSport, is on track to help well over 3,000 children in 2016.
READ MORE: KidSport Edmonton sees ‘unprecedented’ demand during economic downturn
“Definitely getting hit up with lots of families needing our services and a lot of those are unfortunately new families who have never faced this situation before,” Liz Herbert said, the executive director of KidSport Edmonton.
KidSport has seen a 50 per cent increase in demand while donations have remained flat. The organization is a national not-for-profit that provides financial assistance for registration fees and equipment to kids aged 18 and under.
Rather than turn families away, organizers said they would sooner cut the amount of funding each family receives. That’s why donations are so important.
“We’ll still be able to help all these kids with everybody just giving a little bit, instead of expecting companies to come in with big amounts,” Herbert said.
“Sport helps build confidence and self-esteem and develops leadership skills for children and it also helps to create life long friendships,” Mark Korthuis explained.
The volunteer director with KidSport adds the economy has hit a large number of Alberta families hard this year. “It’s massive, particularly for Edmonton at this time with the economy being the way it is. More and more families are looking for support.”
Shaw Communications recently made a $25,000 donation to KidSport, enough to fund 125 children.
“Every time I tell somebody, they’d like their daughter to be in dance with Kiersten, they’re like ‘ohhh I can’t afford it.’ I’m like, have you heard of Jumpstart? Because the economy is just not the greatest right now, especially in Alberta,” Mjelve said. “It’s just a matter of going online, filling out the application form. It was quite simple, very easy to do.”
with files from Sarah Kraus
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