REGINA — A former board member of Carmichael Outreach is calling on the entire board to resign.
Mirtha Rivera says the organization’s current financial situation reflects a failure to properly serve the broader community.
“How are we going to feed the people? How are we going to make sure that they have what they deserve?” she questioned outside Carmichael Outreach on Thursday.
Carmichael Outreach posted a funding plea on its social media last week, urging donations amid a shortfall in its reserves.
Janis Miller, director of development for Carmichael Outreach, previously said the organization stayed open longer throughout the winter, leading to the shortfall.
“We had an exceptionally cold winter, so we were open a lot longer than we were expected to be. That kind of just ate up our reserves because we needed to help people.”
Rivera admitted their current situation had been coming for some time.
“We didn’t foresee that this [serving those in need] would increase, and the finances weren’t good, so everything piled up.”
According to Rivera, the board has no budget covering annuities.
“How we're paying for the building, how we're paying all those things and how we're paying the benefits for the staff, the people.”
Rivera herself said she felt she had failed, leading to her resignation. At this current rate, she said Carmichael Outreach will only have funding until September.
But Miller said they should be okay for the rest of the year with more fundraisers and donations happening during the fall/winter.
Despite this, Rivera believes bringing in new community members would help guide Carmichael Outreach in the right direction.
“They need to have the skills we need to manage the finances and ensure the programming is delivered in a realistic way.”
Response:
In a statement provided by Carmichael Outreach’s board of directors, they said they’ve met with staff, volunteers, donors, and community partners in recent weeks to strengthen their long-term financial sustainability.
The organization said it’s dealing with the challenges of increased demand while charitable donations have decreased, a trend seen across Canada.
“The board took action to address these challenges, and thanks to the extraordinary response from our community, we can confirm that our doors will remain open and services will continue without interruption anytime in the immediate future.”
Miller previously said Carmichael Outreach received over $20,000 in donations two days after their public plea, putting them in an okay spot for the short term.
There was no indication the board was considering a change in direction. Instead, its statement reaffirmed a commitment to effective governance, responsible financial stewardship, supporting staff and remaining a trusted resource for those in need.
“Our focus has been and will always remain on the people we serve. Together with our staff, volunteers, donors, partners, and the wider community, we are building a stronger and more sustainable future for Carmichael Outreach while remaining grounded in our mission to provide dignity, compassion, and care to those who need it most.”
