Administration at the Veiner Centre is asking the community for support as they try to raise $120,000 after four staff members were laid off due to budget difficulties.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
Four staff members at the Veiner Centre were laid off at the beginning of April as a mixed result of fewer donations from the community and increased costs of utilities and food.
Currently the nonprofit organization is trying to rise $130,000 to keep its doors open and continue providing services, outreach and support to seniors in and around Medicine Hat.
Administration says 2024 has been a difficult year financially for the centre, which has experienced less community support than anticipated, as well as higher than expected operating costs.
“We had anticipated more support from the community and donations, sponsorships and fundraising,” explains director Cori Fischer.
Fischer says higher utility costs have also affect the operating budget, as well as the rising cost of food, and it’s led to staff losing their jobs.
“Our utility bill almost doubled,” says Fischer. “And in a building this size, that is somebody’s salary. It’s just an unfortunate situation. Until I can find the additional funding, I had to make a hard decision and unfortunately, this was where it had to be.”
To raise additional funding, the cost of annual general memberships has increased from $50 to $80, and the cost of an annual fit-plus membership has increased by $50 to $250. As well, the cost of food served by centre’s bistro has also been raised to offset expenses.
The nonprofit is reaching out to the community to raise additional funding to ensure they can continue offering programs, services and support to seniors.
“We know as nonprofit organizations, we’re all competing for the same dollars,” says Fischer. “But for us to continue operating and offering the amazing services we have, we’re asking the general public to support us with a donation or a sponsorship of some kind.”
In May the patio at the Bistro in the Veiner Centre is set to open and staff are hopeful for a busy season. Money raised from the bistro directly supports the centre’s operational costs and does not require a membership to visit.
Volunteers are also vital to keeping the doors open at the nonprofit. Last year, more than 170 volunteers worked more than 13,000 hours providing the centre with the equivalent of seven-and-a-half full-time employees.
“Without them we could not keep our doors open,” says Fischer. “They are absolutely amazing and we very much appreciate all of their hard work and dedication.”
Donations can be made in person or online. Online donations to directly support the Veiner Centre in Medicine Hat can be made at unisonalberta.com/donate, and click the orange ‘donate to Veiner Centre’ tab.
Fischer says they are hoping to rehire staff members who lost their jobs if they are able to fundraise enough money to balance the budget.
“And if we bring in that extra money, we are quite happy to bring those positions back,” says Fischer.
Unison, which runs Calgary’s Kirby Centre, took over operations of the Veiner Centre in 2021 after the city put out a request for a new contract operator a year prior.
