NC is helping to feed students in need, after raising more than $18,000 for Nourishing Minds on Giving Tuesday 2023.
Held on November 28, Giving Tuesday is the world’s largest generosity movement that encourages people to do good and celebrate giving.
At Niagara College, Giving Tuesday focused on supporting students. All donations from Giving Tuesday 2023 were donated to the NC Student Administrative Council’s Nourishing Minds fund, which supports students facing food insecurity through grocery gift cards and the Rise & Shine breakfast program.
This year, the first $10,000 donated to the Nourishing Minds fund on Giving Tuesday was matched by an anonymous community partner. This presented a chance for donors to double their impact.
One day alone, $18,720 was raised for Nourishing Minds this year.
“We are so proud of the Niagara College community for coming together to support this initiative. The funds raised go directly to fight food insecurity on campus and ensure that students are able to focus on what matters most – their studies,” said Emily O’Connor, Development Officer, Advancement. “Thank you to our wonderful matching donor and to everyone who supported – because of your kindness, we not only exceeded our goal, but can now safely say that we’ll be able to help over 370 students.
Dipal Patel, President of the NC Student Administrative Council, noted that food insecurity is a prevalent challenge many students face “now more than ever.”
“Every dollar that was raised signifies an incredible unity that exists at Niagara College; we’re more than students and staff, but a wonderful community,” said Patel. “The money raised will directly help and aid our students at Niagara College!
Patel thanked donors for their contributions towards improving student life by contributing to the Nourishing Minds program.
“We look forward to serving more students each and every day,” said Patel.
Since its inception, Nourishing Minds has issued over 8,200 grocery gift cards allowing students to purchase food, toiletries and other life essentials. In addition to gift cards, NCSAC also hosts the Rise & Shine program on both campuses on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, to provide breakfast items like yogurt, granola bars and juice to students on their way to class.
Over the past three years -not including Giving Tuesday 2023 – the NC community donated more than $30,000 on Giving Tuesday to the Nourishing Minds fund.
