Atlantic Canada organizations struggle to find volunteers

Organizations across Atlantic Canada are seeking volunteer help.

From food banks to rotary clubs, to homeless shelters and initiatives assisting domestic violence victims, the need for volunteers is endless.

“Every organization that I can think of is looking for volunteers,” says Heather Killen with Volunteer Nova Scotia. "We have at least 700 that have registered and are looking for volunteers,”.

Killen explained many organizations have not seen volunteers come back since the pandemic.

Shelter Movers, which provides moving and storage services to individuals and families fleeing domestic violence, says they are seeing a number of people volunteer virtually.

"What we are finding is a lot of people are more interested in the online portion of volunteering,” says Michelle Tupy, Shelter Movers New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Chapter director. “But most of the volunteer positions we do have are in person and on the ground so, again, moves happen all seasons so we are always consistently recruiting.”

Organizations like the Brunswick Street Mission can hire a volunteer coordinator to seek out additional help.

"We have around 80 volunteers and guess what we still need more volunteers,” says Arman Al-Ghasham with the Mission.

Volunteer Nova Scotia says more people are able to commit to informal volunteering than long-term positions.

“People want to help, and they are those impulses to make a difference. But because of the schedules and the pressures that are on so many people right now, a lot of people are reluctant to make commitments, long term commitments,” says Killen. “They might know, ‘Well, I have a few hours tomorrow that I can help,’ or, ‘I may have a few hours next week, but in terms of scheduling that time, I may not have flexibility within my schedule to offer that time over the long term.’

“People are busier and there is a lot of financial pressure on people. They don't necessarily have the free time that they once did.”