A Moncton charity that ended up in debt after a failed fundraiser is back in business after members of the community stepped up to help.
To help replenish a dwindling bank account, the founder of Big Hearts Small City rented a hall and booked three bands to play a concert over the Victoria Day weekend.
However, only 22 tickets were sold, putting the organization in the red.
“We only had $1,000 to our name before the event and, losing $2,100, it took away what little money we had,” Jason Surette told CTV Atlantic earlier this week.
Big Hearts Small City helps people recover from a wide range of emergency situations. It has helped more than 400 fire victims alone since it formed four years ago.
However, Surette says the charity had to turn people away this week due to the failed fundraiser.
But things are looking up for Big Hearts Small City after the charity received roughly $1,500 in donations, including $1,000 from a woman in Miramichi, and one from a local business owner who saw the story on CTV Atlantic and wanted to help.
“I stand behind the good work he’s doing for people that are affected by fire and I think he’s doing a great job,” says business owner Antoney Taylor.
Surette says the charity may be out of the red, but it’s not out of the woods. There’s only $860 in the account and he says they need more so they can help others in need.
“The whole point of the fundraiser was to try to raise money to help homeless people pay their first month’s rent and their damage deposit to get them off the street so they can get on assistance,” he says.
Big Hearts Small City relies entirely on private donations to keep its doors open. Other fundraisers are planned for the organization, and Surette admits he’s a bit hesitant to go down that road again, but he says he’ll try because the need is always there.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Jonathan MacInnis
