Christmas Fund: 75+ Calgary charities need your support

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Good morning to our readers.

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Today it is my privilege to launch the 2022 Christmas Fund Campaign, the 32nd annual drive benefiting Calgary charities and agencies that help those in need in our community.

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The fund is a source of pride for those of us at the Calgary Herald and Calgary Sun, allowing current and former staff to give back and express gratitude to a community that has been so generous to us.

The Herald was one of Calgary’s three founding companies in 1883 – along with the railway and Hudson’s Bay – with issues rolling off the presses in a tent erected at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers.

The Calgary Sun, meanwhile, was born 42 years ago from the ashes of The Albertan newspaper and enjoyed great success as a reader alternative to the broadsheet.

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Although much has changed in the local media landscape as we all grow our digital platforms, we join together to support the spirit and philanthropic work of the Christmas Fund.

Since the foundation of the fund in 1991, millions of dollars have been raised, with every penny going directly to charitable agencies serving Calgary and southern Alberta.

We realize nothing would have been accomplished without the generosity of readers and advertisers, and even more critically, the support of Calgary’s social agencies – our partners.

Those agencies and their workers are on the front lines every day to address the critical needs of Calgarians. Around 92 local agencies have been part of the Christmas Fund since its inception.

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Over the years, some of those original agencies have folded, or ceased operations, as new organizations have emerged to take up the mantle of addressing social causes such as feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, treating addictions and helping victims of abuse and those with mental illness.

Several years ago, we made changes to how donations are collected, allowing readers to give directly to the agencies.

The changes allow donors to better target funds, and allow the agencies to form a direct relationship with those who give.

A complete list of those 75-plus agencies and their contacts is at calgaryherald.com/christmasfund.

Over the years, the Christmas Fund campaign has also been recognized by the global media and philanthropic communities.

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This past spring, the International News Media Association awarded the Calgary newspapers an honorable mention in its global competition for the best public relations or community service campaign.

In 2013, the company received the international Outstanding Corporate Philanthropist Award.

While we’re grateful for the recognition, it’s really about what we can all do to help.

Please consider expressing your gratitude in these difficult times and donating to agencies involved in the Christmas Fund.

Thank you. And Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all our readers.

Lorne Motley is editor-in-chief of the Calgary Herald and Calgary Sun

DONATE TO THE CALGARY HERALD/CALGARY SUN CHRISTMAS FUND

If you would like to help the Calgary Herald/Calgary Sun Christmas Fund support 75 plus charities in our city, please go to calgaryherald.com/christmasfund to select and contact the charity(s) of your choice. Thanks in advance for helping us to help a lot.