An uplifting annual donation drive that launched during the COVID-19 pandemic’s peak continues to funnel support towards vital community-improving spaces across the West Coast.
Cheers continue to vibrate through the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust after heading into 2025 coming off its most successful Holiday Giving Campaign to date with $37,476 raised for 23 different charities all working on making their communities better.
“It started in 2020 to help other charities on the coast get some revenue in those dire times and it was so successful we decided to continue it annually,” CBT’s campaign and donor relations lead Michelle Hall told the Westerly News.
“All this incredible work that’s done on the coast cannot be done in a silo; all of the challenges are all interconnected so we need to list everybody up. The Holiday Giving Campaign tries to embody that together we are stronger. Let’s lift everybody up.”
The campaign is an online fundraising drive coordinated by the CBT to support local charities through a shared giving platform and Hall noted that having the participating charities all listed on the same page led to multiple donations from donors.
The $37,476 raised during the most recent drive came from 56 donors and 94 donations, showing that people who went to the online hub found more than one charity they wanted to support.
“Throughout the month, participating charitable organizations helped amplify the initiative by sharing it through their communication channels. Meanwhile, donors explored causes they cared about and supported the region’s diverse needs through the Holiday Giving Catalogue,” reads a CBT media release announcing the funds.
“To all our donors, thank you for your generosity. Your contributions are making a tangible difference, strengthening local initiatives, and supporting the region while highlighting the power of community. ”
Hall noted that the CBT does not take any administration fees and all funds pumped into the program go directly to the organizations being supported.
“The role of the CBT is uplifting others and supporting the community. As a local community foundation, it’s our responsibility to supply resources and funding opportunities for great work being done in the community,” Hal said. “There are just so many charities that are doing great work and we recognize that no one is more important than the other. It’s a campaign that really embodies lifting everybody up together.”
She added that donors had a wide range of “amazing” local organizations to support.
“For remote communities, we have so many incredible charities doing this work…It’s astonishing,” she said. “These charities provide and sustain vital services that are supporting local families, protecting the environment, and keeping the West Coast thriving. It’s not just about raising money, it’s collaborating together and ensuring that everybody is uplifted and gets the support that they need to do this important work.”
She pointed to Tofino’s Pacific Sands Beach Resort as a key contributor to the cause, explaining that the resort generously signed on as a “fantastic” supporter and buoyed incoming donations with a pledge to match up to $10,000 raised.
“We are especially grateful to Pacific Sands Beach Resort for being the first local business to join the campaign, contributing $10,000 in matching donations, and to Tofitian Cafe for helping raise funds through our Tip Tap tool, enabling us to redistribute those donations to local organizations doing incredible work across the region,” the announcement reads.
The campaign is now nearing $200,000 raised for the West Coast since its launch in 2020 and anyone looking to participate in or support the blossoming grassroots initiative is encouraged to check out the CBT’s website at www.clayoquotbiosphere.org.
“As the community foundation serving west coast communities from Macoah to Hotsprings Cove, the CBT is honoured to support the numerous social and environmental charities striving to make the region a stronger, healthier, and more inclusive place to call home. Together, we are building a brighter future,” the announcement reads.
