Coady Institute is taking flight along with other Canadian charitable organizations and is now a part of the Aeroplan Member Donation Program.
From now until December 31 Aeroplan members can donate airmiles and reduce Coady’s overall administrative costs and bring community leaders together. The focus of this year’s campaign is to help offset the costs of our signature Indigenous Women in Community Leadership program. This award-winning program, offered since 2011, has First Nations, Métis and Inuit women coming to St. Francis Xavier University campus next summer.
The Aeroplan Member Donation Program allows approved charities to establish an account through the program and set a specific goal for the number of points they want to raise through member donations.
Drawing from these donated points, charities can then redeem within the Aeroplan Program for such things as air travel, car rental, hotel stays and merchandise. Charities can also use donated points as prizes for fundraising, along with items obtained through redemption of donated points, such as laptops and gift certificates.
“We are excited to offer an alternative way for supporting Coady Institute,” Lynn O’Donnell, Coady Institute Fund Development Executive, says.
“Not everyone has the ability to make a cash donation, but they may have unused or expiring airmiles that once donated will make attending a Coady educational course on campus possible for a participant. The airmiles could also help with the flights of Coady teaching staff members and improve our ability to offer regional courses held in Africa or Southern Asia.”
For example, 20,000 points can bring a leader from Tsawout First Nation to Antigonish while 50,000 points allows a program teaching staff member to deliver a course abroad.
“Travel costs are one of the main reasons potential participants are unable to attend a Coady course,” Lynn says. “Sharing some of your points with us – even a small amount makes a difference.”
The initial Help Coady Take Flight campaign has a goal of 250,000 points. To donate, please go to: https://donatepoints.aircanada.com/charity/1497.
The Aeroplan and Air Canada websites notes that since 2006, the Aeroplan Member Donation Program has been helping members give back to causes that are close to their hearts supporting Canadian-based initiatives that are working to improve lives and assist communities locally, across Canada and around the world. Since its inception, over one billion points have been donated by Aeroplan Members.
