From March 9 to March 13, a group of Dalhousie Commerce Society students participated in the nationwide event 5 Days for the Homeless.
After living, sleeping and studying outside the Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building for five days the students had raised $7,754.67 for their chosen charity organization, the Phoenix Youth Program.
This year, according to the 5days.ca website, the campaign has raised over $130,000 nation-wide.
The campaign began in 2005 with three students in Edmonton at the University of Alberta, “since then, 22 to 24 universities have picked it up across Canada,” says Breanne Beckett, one of the main coordinators and a participant in the campaign.
“Because this is our second year working with Phoenix Youth Programs, we just really want to engage the community in beginning that conversation about homelessness that [it is] experiencing,” she says. “100 percent of the proceeds from [5days.ca/Dalhousie] are donated to Phoenix Youth Programs, and they can use that in anyway their fundraising management sees fit.”
There were rules the students participating had to follow. When they weren’t in class, they had to be outside, and the only time they could go inside was to use the bathroom.
“The whole piece is an integrity piece to maintain the dignity of what people experiencing this might look like. We don’t want to take advantage of other things that might be available to us because we’re in a privileged space,” says Beckett.
Other than using the Kenneth Rowe’s washroom facilities, and a house to use at night for emergencies, the students relied on the community at Dal for food donations, water, and clothing.
“Everyone has been really fantastic and so supportive. Sometimes, being a university student, we’re not able to give monetary support, and they’ve just been so overwhelmingly kind to us,” says Beckett.
Marianne Hagel, alumni relations officer for the Faculty of Management, shared her support for the students. “The fact that students want to give back, to me, speaks volumes about the character of the students… So I think it’s fantastic, I think they deserve medals for being out there.”
Throughout the academic year, the Dalhousie Commerce Society has raised almost $100,000, says Beckett. “It’s a monumental goal for them.”
But the DCS isn’t the only place where funds for charity are coming from. “I’ve been in my position for the last four years and after I did some digging I discovered that in the past ten years, through students and student initiatives, alum, and obviously the public giving back, this faculty has raised over a quarter of a million dollars, which is quite phenomenal,” says Hagel.
Beckett adds that there were some challenges that needed to be overcome, such as staying dry and warm, with temperatures dropping to -30 with wind chill on Thursday night.
Friday morning however, her morale was intact. “[We] really pulled together as a team. Spirits are at an all-time high right now,” she said that morning.
After reflecting on her five days outside, Beckett says, “I think all of us would do it again. Would I do some things differently? Yes, I think if I was to do it again I think I would try to make it even bigger and try to make even more of an impact.”
Help the students reach their goal of $12,500 here: 5days.ca/Dalhousie.
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