Have you seen us in your neighbourhood?

Yes, we are fundraising!

The CNIB Foundation has partnered with fundraising organizations Globalfaces Direct, TNI, Up Fundraising and Public Outreach to fundraise safely for monthly donations in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

Why do you do face-to-face fundraising?

Face-to-face fundraising is when representatives from a charity hit the streets or go door-to-door to raise awareness about their cause and ask members of the public to support their organization with a monthly donation. 

Like most charities in Canada, the CNIB Foundation has engaged in face-to-face fundraising in select regions across the country. We do this for two reasons: It enables us to raise awareness about the issues facing blind and partially sighted Canadians and also because it's a cost-effective way of getting sustainable monthly donations, enabling us to direct more of your support to those who need it.

When operating, our canvassers do not work on commission. The amount of donations they secure does not affect their earnings.

If you have any questions about our fundraising, contact us at 1-800-563-2642. 

How can I tell if a face-to-face fundraiser is legitimate?

When operating, canvassers working on behalf of our organization wear CNIB Foundation vests or t-shirts and name tags displaying their photo. They also use electronic tablets, not paper forms, to ensure financial information from our donors is kept safe and secure. The fundraiser should be able to answer questions about the CNIB Foundation and our programs if you ask them to. For their personal safety, face-to-face canvassers cannot accept cash donations. If you have any questions about our fundraising, contact us at 1-800-563-2642, or learn more at this link.

Why are you fundraising via face-to-face right now?

 

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to interrupt daily life for Canadians, more people with sight loss are turning to us for help than ever before. Many with sight loss are facing unique challenges that mainstream support networks are not equipped to address. The CNIB Foundation is determinedly working to continue being there for every Canadian with sight loss who needs us

Most of the CNIB Foundation’s traditional fundraising methods (events, galas, etc.) are no longer possible due to COVID-19, but that does not mean the need for those funds has gone away. We are relying on Street canvassing and Door-to-door fundraising as a way to help Canadians continue to support the causes they care about, but from the safety and comfort of their home.

We are committed to ensuring no one is left behind, and in order to meet that commitment, we must continue to mobilize Canadians to support our work. We understand that this is a difficult time for many and would only ask for support from those who feel they are able to at this time.

We are taking every precaution while fundraising, adhering to local guidelines and regulations, and the health of the public and our fundraisers is our highest priority. Please rest assured that we are assessing the situation daily and adjusting our work accordingly to protect the health of all involved.

Do you have permission to be fundraising?

Our fundraising partners are operating in accordance with the rules laid out by the provincial and federal governments. In addition, our fundraising partners have implemented thorough and detailed health and safety trainings and protocols four our representatives across Canada.

Staff are required to stay home and isolate if experiencing illness of any kind, and to follow COVID-19 exposure protocols as mandated by each province. We are tracking and monitoring the situation daily through information provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada and local provincial health authorities, and we adjust our activity accordingly; reducing, pausing or stopping activity where necessary.

What precautions are you taking to keep donors and fundraisers safe?

All fundraising activity is fully contactless and takes place outdoors.

In accordance with public health guidelines across the country, representatives are not required to wear masks while fundraising outdoors. They must always have a mask with them and will wear it upon request. The mask must be well-fitting and worn properly (covering the nose, mouth and chin without gaps).

Fundraisers are disallowed from shaking hands with or otherwise making physical contact with donors. Our representatives are required to adhere to all social physical distancing and pandemic protocols during while fundraising, always maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet.

Donors are instructed to not make any physical contact with the fundraisers. This includes fundraising tablet devices and mobile phones.

If you do not feel safe or comfortable speaking with one of our fundraisers, please feel free to not to approach or engage with them on the street or at your door.

What is the sign-up process with a face-to-face canvasser?

We are partnered with four face-to-face fundraising organizations across Canada: Globalfaces Direct, Public Outreach, Up Fundraising and TNI The Network Inc.

If signing up on the spot with a door-to-door Globalfaces Direct fundraiser, donor information will be captured securely on a tablet device and then confirmed via phone by their call centre. Your fundraiser will use one of the following numbers to reach their call centre, as it relates to your CNIB monthly donation: (888-539-6913, 1-833-471-1137 or 647-943-0840).

If signing up with a Public Outreach fundraiser at the door, in the mall, or on the street, fundraisers will capture donation details via their secure tablet device.  You can expect to receive a phone call from one of the following numbers to verify that the information collected is accurate: (289-401-1593, 778-508-9750, 438-801-3028, or 581-705-6997)

If signing up with an Up Fundraising canvasser on the street, contact details are captured by the fundraiser on a tablet device. To complete the process, you will then use your smartphone to scan the fundraiser’s QR code and enter your donation details into the secure form on your mobile phone.

If signing up with a TNI canvasser at the door, contact details are captured by the fundraiser on a tablet device. To complete the process, you will then receive a text message with a link that will take you to a secure online form on your mobile phone, where you will enter your donation details. Once the form is complete and submitted, you will be instructed to call the secure verification centre at 1-855-567-0971 to confirm your details.

With all methods of sign-up, you will receive an email confirmation afterwards, and you may receive a welcome text and/or call within one week. 

What are your face-to-face and tele-fundraising hours?

Our canvass times vary by province, and we fundraise 5-7 days per week depending on the time of year:

• Our Street and Park fundraisers canvass between the hours of 10:00am – 7pm.
• Our Mall fundraisers canvass during mall hours, from open until close.
• Our Door-to-Door fundraisers canvass between the hours of 1:00pm – 9:00pm, depending on where they are located.
• Our Telefundraisers call between the hours of 9:30am – 9:00pm Monday to Friday, and between 10:00am – 5:30pm on Saturdays.

If you have any questions about our fundraising, contact us at 1-800-563-2642