The pandemic hit East Texas during one of the busiest years for local nonprofits, cancelling fundraisers and shutting some doors.
“The need is still there,” Capt. Jeremy Walker with the Salvation Army said. “In fact, the need is greater now and the costs are higher.”
The Salvation Army serves the Smith County community in a myriad of ways as an emergency shelter, offering youth programs, disaster work, a thrift store and more.
“We're still having people come every day for food boxes, we see a real need for that, for canned goods and our food pantry and stuff,” he said. “We've seen donations, definitely decrease from where it usually is.”
Walker says the summer is already a tough month for the nonprofit and the pandemic has made it worse, financially.
The 501c-3 isn’t alone, other nonprofits like Bethesda Health Clinic and Discovery Science Place have also been hit hard financially.
“We've also seen a surge in people who have lost their jobs because of the pandemic and so more people are without health insurance, so we have seen an increase in people that need care,” Megan Riaz, marketing/community relations for the health clinic, said.
Bethesda is a primary medical and dental clinic for the underinsured or those without insurance. It has two thrift stores, Hangers of Hope, in the city of Tyler that helps with its funding, like Riaz explains it doesn’t receive any state or federal assistance.
When the pandemic began, the stores closed for seven weeks and the clinic went to operating four days instead of five. The dental side of the clinic was also only doing emergency procedures during that period.
“We're really solely community funded,” she said. “The stores make up about a third of our revenue, and so that was really challenging. A third of our budget also comes from the fees that the patients do pay, that small percentage. So, you know, that money obviously wasn't coming in.”
The Discovery Science Place is in a similar predicament after shutting down in March until the middle of June. While it is back open, its schedule has been cut drastically from seven to three days a week.
“The vast majority of our field trips, our outreach programs, in addition to visitors coming to the museum, that's our busy time and completely shut us down,” Monica Moore, the development director said. “The ticket sales and admissions that folks come through the door, it's just a fraction of what it takes to keep this place operating.”
Bethesda and the Discovery Science Place both had to make cuts to employees. The health clinic was able to furlough until it went back to five days a week, but the learning center has not been as lucky.
“It's devastating, we would typically see hundreds of people a day, and instead we're maybe currently maybe seeing 50 in a weekend,” Moore said. “It has been a very, very difficult season for us.”
As the fall approaches, the nonprofits are looking to a new approach to bring in donations from the community.
“Not being able to do the regular fundraisers that we're able to do in person, then, you know, we have to look towards virtual because we have to keep the doors open,” Walker said. “We have to keep helping those that are in need."
The Salvation Army is currently planning for upcoming fundraisers like September’s "Tee off for Toys", as well as the ones benefiting the holiday season like the "Red Kettle" and "Angel Tree". In the meantime, there are other items it’s asking the community to help with.
“We have a need for towels, we have a need for toiletries, shampoos, stuff like that,” Walker said. “There’s folks out there that are still suffering, and we're seeing it across all across the board and we just want to be able to help those in need.”
To donate to the Salvation Army, click here.
Bethesda Health Clinic’s largest fundraiser typically involves the community, but this September it will be held virtually.
“This event will have an online auction, and that'll go for two weeks,” Riaz said. “We'll also have sponsorships available where we can promote our businesses on Facebook, on our website, and there will be some other advertising avenues.”
The Wings of Hope will be Sept. 20 from 6:30 until 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $125, it will include dinner at The Potpourri House and more.
To learn more, click here.
The Discovery Science Place is also working on its two week virtual fundraiser in place of its annual Gala, which is usually the biggest fundraiser for the year.
“We will have an auction, we will have a wine pool, we're going to have a bourbon pool this year and we will have a game that people can play,” Moore said. “Also we will have a variety of things that you can donate to as well our outreach programs, our cancer scholarships, and general operating as well.”
To learn more, click here.