As an organization completely dependent on donations, the Thunder Bay and District Humane Society runs on a strategy of hope.
“You’re always hoping somebody’s going to give you enough money to get through the next month,” said executive director Maryann Kleynendorst. “We’re trying to make things more stable so we can provide better services, more consistent services.”
Friday the Humane Society had a small number of dogs outside the Arthur Street branch of the Royal Bank to raise public awareness of the work the organization does and its financial struggles.
“Earlier this summer the Humane Society was in a great deal of financial difficulty,” Kleynendorst said. “We’re always in a little bit of financial difficulty.”
Seeing the organization in need, the south-side RBC branch donated $1,000 and some of their man hours. Several employees donated time to help the Humane Society with a variety of tasks from filing to helping care for the animals.
Branch manager Michael Nitz said helping out the Humane Society was an easy decision. It was the one charity the staff agreed on.
“Anyone who has gone in there has fallen in love with an animal, wanted to take it home” said Nitz. “”That’s not always an option, so one way we can help is to help raise that awareness or also get some funds.”
One way people can donate is through the PAD (pre-authorized debit) program, where a monthly donation can be withdrawn from a person’s account. Kleynendorst said the program gives them a predictable monthly cash flow so they can better plan and not continue to go from one financial crisis to another.
