Group giving back with affordability cheques

With rising inflation, many residents of Saskatchewan are looking forward to the $500 affordability cheques from the government that are being mailed out.

Some might put the money towards groceries, utilities and credit card bills, but Nicole Berg has other plans.

Berg is the co-founder of the 500 Club, a pledge campaign that encourages Saskatchewan residents to donate their affordability cheques to local non-profits.

It was good news when she heard about the money, but she decided the best move would be to give it to those who need it most.

“I thought there must be some others like me who are also blessed with enough, (who are) able to share and (are) wanting to do something good for the community,” she said.

Berg said it’s the giver’s choice when it comes to picking a charity. One of the important aspects when creating the 500 Club was giving people the opportunity to donate to causes that mean the most to them.

The 500 Club has already received pledges for Prairie Harm Reduction, the Sanctum Care Group and various food banks. Berg will be donating hers to the SPCA.

Instead of directly collecting the money, the 500 Club has a website to count pledges. Those looking to get involved can pledge on the 500 Club website and donate directly to charity once they receive their affordability cheque.

People who give more than $200 to charities will receive an additional tax benefit.

“People can come forward, make it visible and say, ‘I’m taking part in something bigger,’ ” Berg said.

The 500 Club is on a “million-dollar mission.” Berg said if just 2,000 people across the province donate their whole cheque, the club would reach its goal.

She hopes the campaign will be beneficial to the province.

As of Nov. 3, a week after its launch, the 500 Club had raised $4,000.

An affordability cheque will be available to each Saskatchewan resident over the age of 18 who filed a return for the 2021 tax year.