FUNDING GAP
Retailer’s financial problems felt by local children’s agency as program funding dries up
Financial woes of Sears Canada trickle down to Boys and Girls Clubs programs,
Trichelle Primo used the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada programs two decades ago as a young girl, making new friends while cooking, as well as playing basketball and volleyball.
Now, as a program developer at the same east Scarborough location, Primo, 27, hopes the next generation can enjoy the experiences that she did. But she’s worried, because Sears Canada can no longer fund the club, due to the retailer’s financial problems.
“It’s going to be a bit difficult, but we still want to make the programs as good as they’ve been, we hope the kids don’t suffer,” Primo said.
Sears, who has been a partner and major donor to the agency for almost 50 years, stopped funding the Boys and Girls Clubs this year, leaving a shortfall of almost half a million dollars.
“It leaves a huge hole on our side,” said Owen Charters, the president and CEO of the agency. “They were very good about letting us know and we weren’t surprised.”
But the gap may lead to reduced programming at the organization’s 700 locations across the country, affecting almost 200,000 children.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada has existed for more than 100 years and works to provide children, particularly in high-needs and marginalized communities, with after-school activities and snacks.
“The real benefit of clubs is keeping kids out of situations that can turn into something worse, that can turn into gangs or other criminal activity, and hopefully keeping them in school,” Charters said.
The executive team became alarmed when Sears announced it would pursue creditor protection in June, and found out at the end of July that Sears wouldn’t fund them any longer.
Sears usually organized a golf tournament every summer to raise money for the agency’s programs, but it was unable
“The real benefit of clubs is keeping kids out of situations that can turn into something worse . . . and hopefully keeping them in school.” OWEN CHARTERS BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF CANADA PRESIDENT AND CEO
to do so this year. This means some clubs may not be able to offer healthy-eating workshops, or mental-health and internet-safety workshops for children, Charters said.
The organization hopes Sears will be able to restructure and continue to be a partner in the future. In the meantime, the agency is trying to find more funds and more donors to fill the gaps.
Primo spent three hours after school each day at the club from the time she was 7 years old until she was 12, then entering into leadership training. She began working as a staff member at the age of 16, and got her job as a program developer there about a year ago.
“They’ve really moulded me into the person I am today,” Primo said.