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Lethbridge Food Banks Brace for Uncertain Mail Service Future

As a potential second

Canada Post strike

In under a year, as the deadline approaches, many individuals are starting to avoid their postal workers.

“We’ve been increasingly using methods like e-transfers for our bill payments whenever possible,” stated Valerie Lazicki, who serves as the executive director at the Lethbridge Food Bank.

She mentions that the strike in December was particularly tough on non-profit organizations in Lethbridge.

That season sees a significant surge in donations from community members, but it turned out to be problematic. Some checks ended up being delayed in the postal system.

The second significant food bank in Lethbridge, the Interfaith, expressed initial concern; however, they discovered that relying on mail services was not as crucial as they had imagined.

“Although it caused some delays in donations, we discovered that many of our donors adjusted and opted for alternative methods to contribute, mainly through online platforms, or individuals would visit the facility to make cash contributions directly at this location,” explained Danielle McIntyre, who serves as the executive director of the Interfaith Food Bank.

For her organization, this second attempt occurs during the biggest summer fundraising event of the year—the yearly “bakery-free bake sale.” The Interfaith group aims to collect $40,000, and McIntyre believes that people keen on donating will do so regardless of whether Canada Post participates or not.

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Lazicki echoes this view, stating that after making the switch, there’s no need to revert to traditional snail mail.

The transition is lasting. After we change our suppliers to this method of payment, it becomes more convenient for both parties involved.

McIntyre indicates that all materials ranging from newsletters to invoices will transition to paperless formats, despite their upcoming summer initiatives ramping up significantly.

We will adapt to make sure we can continue communicating with our donors despite any actions taken by Canada Post.