COVID-19 restrictions called for a creative approach to this year’s fundraising collaboration between the W.C. Miller Collegiate Youth in Philanthropy (YiP) group and the Altona Community Foundation (ACF).

Each school year, the YiP group partners with ACF to create grant opportunities to provide financial assistance to local charities.

Lauren Schellenberg, a Grade 9 Student Council and YiP member, says the group decided to raise money through students and staff purchasing school clothing through an online store.

“It was quite something coming up with something other than bake sales or selling snacks at movie nights or school plays. We had to get a little creative with the fund raising. We decided to add a small amount of money to our school clothing sales prices. [That way] people could participate without needing to get together in any one space.”

With student-raised funds matched by the AFC, the YiP group was able to give $760 to local community groups. Schellenberg breaks down how the funds will be distributed.

“$500 will be going to Genesis House and $260 to Gardens on Tenth. We thought Genesis House was a good option, because we wanted to give the money to buy things for the children who visited.”

According to a joint news release, this will include the purchase of children’s workbooks and activities to encourage different topics related to emotional intelligence, as well as the office supplies needed to distribute these resources.

“Gardens on Tenth had a very unique pitch regarding these COVID times,” says Schellenberg. “They wanted to get some games for the residents, along with walkie talkies [to allow residents to] talk with their families easier.”

The Gardens funds will also go toward some cooking equipment to allow residents to safely participate in seasonal activities such as canning garden produce.

"We chose the Gardens on Tenth as one of our recipients because some of us work there,” explains Wafaa Abukhousa, Grade 11 Student Council and YiP group member. “We can see how much it would mean to the residents to have these activities available to them and how it would improve their lives.”

The courtyard at Gardens on Tenth in Altona where many of the activities supported by the YiP grant will take place.

 

 

Schellenberg says their approach to fundraising received stronger support than they expected.