Ottawa group makes the case for non-profit fundraising

By Jordanna Tennebaum, Mara Selanders and Diana Matthews A small philanthropic team in Ottawa is reinterpreting traditional models of charity work through a local holiday food drive that relies on grassroots fundraising. The 11 members of GoodGuysTri, or as they like to call themselves, “Do-Gooders,” are focusing their food drive on communal involvement and the exclusion of corporate spending. The group came together in 2007 when founder Mike Herzog heard reports of charities spending large sums of money on administrative and legal fees.   http://cusjc.ca/wintertimes/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Clip-1-Mike-Herzog-Interview-for-Photo.mp3   “Having been involved in fundraising, I thought somebody needs to do something about this,” Herzog said. Now in its second year of operation, GoodGuysTri already has 20 organizations participating, ranging from the Orleans Veterinary Hospital to a sports injury-oriented Holistic Clinic. Cheryl Rutherford of the Orleans Veterinary Hospital supports the medical center’s shift from aiding pets to people. “At this time of year there is a greater need. Last year we did a food drive that helped animals only and this year we opened up our boxes to people with needs,” Rutherford said. Herzog’s ability to incorporate diverse organizations with differing mandates is central to his project as he aims to include the interests and contributions of over 100 volunteers. “We’re a collection of all sorts of different people. It’s open to everybody. People come to me and ask ‘what should I do to help?’ and I try to answer that question, even if it doesn’t have to do with us. I’m not trying to build an empire.” According to Herzog, empire building tends to be at the heart of many affiliate charity organizations that have experienced exponential growth over the past decade. Herzog is particularly critical of the Movember campaign, an annual event that addresses men’s health issues through its focus on prostate cancer. While it has enabled many participants to hit lofty fundraising targets, he points to a potential lack of substance and concern for its mission. “I’m not sure how much awareness growing a mustache for Movember brings in. There’s so much white noise. It’s the lowest common denominator of effort that you can put into doing something,” Herzog said. https://cusjc.ca/wintertimes/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Clip-2-Good-Guys-Tri-Interview-Food-Photo.mp3   ‘Having been involved in fundraising, I thought somebody needs to do something about this.’ –Mike Herzog For the group’s food drive this year, Herzog wants community members to collect and deliver non-perishables to the Ottawa Food Bank. He said they must take logistics into account when putting multiple food bins in place throughout the city. As such, one of the greatest challenges he faces during the execution of the holiday food drive is ensuring the participation and engagement of...