Last year the campaign yielded about $11.5 million, falling just shy of the same monetary goal set this year. Despite this shortfall the ShareLife team remains optimistic about its fundraising efforts, extending an extra thank you to an anonymous donor who agreed to match increased or new donations made this year.
“This year the matching gift has helped to bring additional gifts forward which is helping us to get closer to that goal,” said Peters. “Compared to last year we are ahead of where we were but, again, we haven’t reached our goal yet.”
As of June 28 the 2012 campaign stood $415,060 ahead of the previous year going into the final stretch, largely due to the $600,000 of personal money offered by the matching gift donor.
But it isn’t just large donations which are worth praise, said Peters.
“Every contribution to the campaign, no matter how small, makes a difference,” he said, adding that this money helps about 250,000 people in need who rely on the more than 30 social service agencies supported by ShareLife.
Many outside of the Greater Toronto Area benefit from the generosity of local Catholics thanks to the support ShareLife provides to organizations that provide international assistance such as the Pastoral Mission Fund, Canadian Food For Children and the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace. ShareLife funds also go towards educating clergy.
Even those unable to make a financial sacrifice this year, a tough position Peters said ShareLife sympathizes with, can help by praying.
“We ask them to pray that those who are able to do so, that are able to contribute to the campaign, do so,” said Peters.
For information, see www.sharelife.org.
ShareLife a million shy of campaign goal
By Evan Boudreau, The Catholic RegisterTORONTO - With barely two weeks left in the 2012 ShareLife campaign, parishioners are being called upon to pull together and raise the remaining $1 million needed to reach this year’s $12.3 million goal.
“(We) thank those Catholics who have made a contribution this year and appeal to all Catholics to support the ShareLife campaign before July 31,” said Arthur Peters, ShareLife’s executive director. “Parishioners have been very generous. Over the next few weeks I just hope people will continue to be generous and help us reach our goal.”
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