The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Ontario's charities in dire need of help, industry experts say revenue streams seen today are unprecedented. "We're basically in territory almost without precedent in living memory," he said. LOOKING AHEAD Of the charities surveyed by Imagine Canada, only 20 per cent believe they will be able to maintain their current level of operations for three to six months. Bruce MacDonald, president and CEO of Imagine Canada, said that without intervention, Canadians risk the disappearance or reduction of services they have grown accustomed to using. "We live in a society where we have benefitted from the ability to pick up a phone or go online and connect with an organization and very quickly receive whatever services we need," he said. "I think what's at risk is the future of those being available to Canadians when they want them." MacDonald said charities, governments and donors all have a part to play in saving the sector. Charitable organizations, he said, need to come up with innovative ways to fundraise and deliver their services in a world reshaped by the viral pandemic. He said governments should also move to stabilize the charity and non-profit sector through emergency funding. In its April 6 flash survey report on the impact of COVID-19 on non-profit organizations and charities, the Ontario Non-Profit Network (ONN), stated 79 per cent of 483 respondents identified a government stabilization fund as a critical need during the pandemic. Finally, MacDonald said individual donors will need to dig into their pockets to help keep their favourite charities alive. "We really do need Canadians, where possible, to hang with charities," he said. "If they value those services, and they still have employment and can help a bit more, now is the time to do so." Ontario's charities in dire need of help, industry experts say https://www.mykawartha.com/news-story/9994701-ontario-s-charities-in... 2 of 2 6/22/2020, 11:16 AM