Castlegar and District Community Services Society (CDCSS) is one of the ten lucky benificiaries of the B.C. Lottery Commision’s (BCLC) new online fundraiser.
The Spread the Local Love campaign aims to help support CDCSS’s mission to improve the quality of life for people living in Castlegar and surrounding regions by providing assistance, counselling and support, and by working for social change.
BCLC sponsored a number of items and gift cards from local businesses and making them available on the Spread the Local Love fundraising page. When an item is purchased, or a silent-auction item is successfully bid on as part of the campaign, the contribution will go directly to one of the 10 participating non-profits across the province.
The campaign runs from Feb. 1-15. It’s a way for people to support local businesses and a local charity at the same time.
“Funds raised through Spread the Local Love will go directly towards supporting our recently purchased location, which will help provide affordable housing to people with barriers, winter shelter services and overdose prevention and harm reduction programs,” said Kristein Johnson, Executive Director, CDCSS.
“CDCSS has worked with vulnerable populations for more than four decades. There has never been a formalized response to harm reduction or overdose prevention in our area. We are working towards filling this gap in our community.”
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In Castlegar, participating businesses include the Humble Bean, J’esthetics Salon and Spa, Popov Leather and the Wandering Greek Oven. To purchase a gift card, bid on a silent auction item or make a donation, visit trellis.org/spread-the-local-love-campaign.
This is the second online fundraiser BCLC has hosted since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We know that the pandemic has created a variety of challenging impacts in B.C.,” said Peter ter Weeme, BCLC’s Chief Social Purpose Officer. “With the cancellation of many in-person events due to COVID-19, our team is consistently looking for new, creative ways to support communities. Our goal through the Spread the Local Love campaign is not only to raise funds that will help local charitable organizations continue to serve the communities where they operate but also to showcase local businesses hit hardest by the pandemic.”
betsy.kline@castlegarnews.com
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