Like everyone else in the world, University of Toronto law students saw the graphic images of earthquake-ravaged Haiti and Haitians and were moved.
So moved, in fact, they banded together and organized two events that pulled in more than $7,000 in donations.
Feast of Haiti had 30 student volunteers baking and organizing a lunch-time sale at the law school on Jan. 21 that pulled in $3,200 and about 300 hungry and willing donors, says Isaac Tang, Students’ Law Society president.
“We had great feedback from students and faculty; people were very generous with their donations,” says Tang. “I was quite surprised that we exceeded our goal of $2,750 by a healthy margin.
Two Maple Leafs platinum hockey tickets, generously donated by Goodmans LLP, were raffled off as well, with 160 tickets sold, which helped bump up the final tally of donations, says Tang.
Panago Pizza also donated some pizzas to the event, which was co-ordinated by first-year students Justin Nasseri, Atrisha Lewis, and Ryan MacIsaac.
Funds raised were donated to Oxfam Canada for Haitian relief efforts.
“It was quite touching to see students from all three years come together at a busy time and make so much food,” says Nasseri. “It was actually crazy how much food we had!”
An evening event at a local Toronto bar, Tattoo Rock Parlour, raised another $4,000, with cover payments by U of T law students and friends going to Haitian relief via charity Partners In Health, a grassroots organization doing medical work in Haiti.
“We chose Partners In Health for their excellent track record, transparency of operations, and large contingent of local employees,” says co-organizer Michelle Folliott, who co-ordinated the event with fellow student Amy Benkard Rose.
“The dance party was an idea that we came up with in an effort to do something fun that would draw in as many people as possible,” says Folliott.
And draw it did. About 650 people attended from U of T and beyond. Check out the video of their fundraising fun: http://vimeo.com/8941219
Has your law school had a Haiti fundraising event? Let us know at [email protected] and we’ll pass on the news to our readers.
