Today is GivingTuesday and several community groups and fundraisers are seeing their work pay off with matching donations.
Vernon Jubilee Hospital (VJH) is thrilled to receive a $250,000 matching gift thanks to the generosity of Kurt and Jutta Knuever, founders and former owners of Vernon-based tekmar Control Systems.
Then Tuesday morning, thanks to a surprise donation by a generous anonymous donor, the hospital learned that the first $30,000 dollars raised will be tripled!
"That means that every dollar you donate early will have three times the impact," said Erin Gawne, VJH Foundation communications. "Donate today and help us bring the required ultrasound services to VJH as quickly as possible."
As the population ages and grows, and as physicians increasingly rely on scans for clinical decision-making, VJH is seeing a dramatic increase in demand for medical imaging of all kinds. Demand for ultrasound, in particular, has skyrocketed and wait times have doubled in the past three years. Future projections expect the need for ultrasound to increase by more than 100 per cent in the next two decades.
As part of VJH鈥檚 Ultrasound Expansion project, the size of existing ultrasound rooms will be increased, making it easier to accommodate stretchers and do inpatient exams. A more efficient layout will improve patient turnaround times and staff efficiencies. The expansion will result in a net gain of two new rooms and two new ultrasound machines that will add more than 5,000 new scans each year.
Donate online at , call 250-558-1362 or visit the VJH Foundation office in person (located at VJH, in the Jubilee building across from the pharmacy).
Double impact for hungry kids
As we enter the holiday season, many children in our community face the uncertainty of hunger. Your generosity can help ensure that they have full stomachs and hopeful hearts thanks to the .
锘縍ight now, Bell Lumber and Pole is matching all donations up to $10,434.75 鈥� meaning every dollar you give will go twice as far to help feed students in need.
Local philanthropists Lloyd Davies and Janet Armstrong will also match donations up to $10,000, bringing the total matching amount to $20,434.75.
A $25 donation provides a weekend bag for one student, $100 ensures a month of weekend meals and $875 covers food costs for one students for an entire year.
Donations can be made online at or by mail: Box 1465, Station Main, Vernon, B.C. V1T 6N7.
Major matching gift for large group of cats and kittens
After the rush of deals and shopping for Black Friday weekend, today is all about connecting with impactful causes that are important to you.
To celebrate, the BC SPCA has been gifted a matching donation of up to $100,000. Donate at .
The funds will be used to help rescue a Kamloops colony of stray cats and kittens - believed to include 20 to 30 cats.
Not everyone is matched
This GivingTuesday there are a large number of organizations looking for your support, but don't have the same powerful donors behind them to match donations.
Groups like the Friends of Okanagan Rail Trail have a to build kiosks at key points along the trail.
Vernon Pride creates safe spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ folks in town and donations directly impact the group's capacity to create programming and initiatives locally. Any contribution is appreciated at .
There are countless ways to make a difference on GivingTuesday, it's up to you to choose how to support the causes that matter most!
