At UW, student clubs are channelling their passion into fundraising efforts that go beyond just dollars and cents. Taking a look behind the scenes shows how these clubs are making a meaningful impact through their initiatives.
UW Beauty Club: Imagine a place where mascara mishaps turn into makeup masterclasses, and skincare swaps feel like passing secrets between friends. That’s the heart of the UW Beauty Club. Guided by club President Jasmine Leung, the Beauty Club channels this spirit of creativity and care into action. “We’ve tried two different fundraisers so far. Last spring, we hosted a cookie bake sale in partnership with Sweet Lou’s Cookies, and in the fall, we hosted bubble tea with ‘Together Boba.’” Both events went well, but the cookie sale performed better due to the timing. We held a cookie sale during peak hours at the Student Life Centre, and that made all the difference,” Leung says.
The proceeds from both fundraisers were used in a packing event where 50 boxes containing toothbrushes, toothpaste, body wash, and deodorant were assembled for those in need. These donations were distributed to organizations making a direct impact in the community: half went to Moving Beyond Violence, an initiative of Women’s Crisis Services that supports women and children escaping domestic violence in Waterloo Region and the rest went to Starling Community Services, which provides resources for youth facing homelessness and unemployment.
On the flip side, organizing these events hasn’t been without obstacles for the club. “One of the biggest challenges our club has faced is booking space at the SLC during high-traffic days like Tuesdays and Wednesdays. You have to book it well in advance or you risk losing the spot,” Leung notes. Despite these hurdles, Leuu’s advice to other organizers is clear: “Manage your time well. It’s possible to host fun events with a great turnout while giving back to the community.”
UW Make-A-Wish Canada: There’s a special kind of magic in making a child’s wish come true. The Make-A-Wish UW Chapter brings that magic to life by raising funds to grant wishes for children facing critical illnesses across Canada. “Earlier this year, we donated $4,000, and we’re on track to donate $5,000 by the end of this year, assuming our fall events help us reach that amount,” explains co-president Manshee Bansode, adding that every dollar goes directly towards Make-A-Wish Canada.
The blend of exciting events and savvy promotion has helped the club grow its following and increase participation every term. “The events were a big success thanks to our social media promotions. Doing trendy things rather than just posting simple posts is what helped our account reach 30,000 clicks this term alone,” Bansode said.
Like the UW Beauty Club, logistical challenges are always a part of the process. “Limited booking slots at the SLC have led us to expand into other campus spaces like DC and STC. Additionally, to maintain visibility and keep the donations flowing, we’ve set up weekly information booths, ensuring our presence on campus continues to grow and our momentum doesn’t slow down,” Bansode shares.
For Bansode, though, the real victory isn’t just in the events or logistics. “I think everybody should donate, even if it’s just a dollar or two. It really helps small clubs generate the funds we need, which then go directly into making a difference. It may seem small, but when it adds up, it becomes something impactful,” Bansode concludes.
UW Empower Cycle: Menstruation is often surrounded by stigma and silence, but UW Empower Cycle is changing that — one menstrual kit at a time. Event directors Saghana Rajakrishna and Zara Jaswal shed light on the club’s mission. “The fundraising initiatives our club most recently hosted were the Krispy Kreme fundraisers. These fundraisers were held on campus to help us raise funds for our Period Packing Parties that are held later in the winter term. The funds we raise during these fundraisers facilitate us with purchasing a variety of female hygiene products such as pads, tampons, liners, and sanitary wipes that are then packaged and delivered to women, either in local shelters in the Kitchener-Waterloo region such as the ‘Ray of Hope’, or on campus through societies such as AHSUM/MATHSOC.”
The club’s journey hasn’t been without lessons, though. “During our first fundraiser of the fall term, our club wanted to do something special to acknowledge our general community members and decided to offer them the chance to place pre-sale orders at a discounted price. The overall reception from the community was fantastic, but the actual pick-up process for the pre-sale orders was slightly hectic and could have been better organized. After some feedback and thorough analysis, we decided that it would be best to no longer have pre-sale orders and opted to sell the donuts as the student body stopped by our booth. In spite of all of this, we do hope to find another way to show our appreciation towards our general members soon!” they share.
Beyond bake sales and booth sales, the event directors discuss how applying for the Student Life Endowment Fund (SLEF) was useful for their club. “Applying for this absolutely helped our club achieve our desired goals and helped to expand our budget for our Period Packing Parties, ultimately ensuring that women in need were able to receive the necessary support from our club.”
UW Sororities: At UW, it’s not uncommon to see a table piled with cookies, cupcakes, and cheerful smiles — usually courtesy of the campus’s two Panhellenic sororities: Kappa Kappa Gamma and Alpha Omicron Pi. Though their roots stretch back to the 19th century — KKG from Monmouth College in Illinois (1870) and AOII from Barnard College in New York City (1897) — their energy on campus is anything but old-fashioned. KKG and AOII are known for their strong sisterhood, but ask them what gets the campus buzzing, and the answer is easy: bake sales and giving back to the community.
AOII keeps things lively with luncheons, strike out arthritis bowling nights, and their legendary Pi Day mashup — part bake sale, part pie-in-the-face fundraiser. Mary McKay from AOII specifies, “Bake sales are super easy to organize. Students love stopping by for a sweet treat, especially when it supports a good cause.” On the other side, KKG focuses its efforts on bake sales that champion mental health awareness. Maggie Varriano from KKG explains, “Fundraising isn’t just about selling goodies for us. Through our bake sales, we raise funds to support local volunteering efforts and partnerships like our work with Jack.org, which focuses on youth mental health.”
Of course, hosting bake sales indoors can sometimes be tricky. “There have been times when we had to set up in buildings other than the Student Life Centre. Foot traffic dropped, and sales got tougher,” Varriano adds.
Looking over the years, KKG has raised thousands of dollars, aiming for a few hundred each term, while AOII typically nets over a hundred dollars per bake sale, depending on how many treats they bring. For both, the fuel behind the numbers is passion. “Leaders should either have experience or be eager to learn how to raise money and donate time. The passion and dedication that go into prepping and running events — before and after — are huge. When people genuinely care and want to get everyone involved, amazing things happen!” Varriano mentions. Moreover, McKay adds a tip for today’s campus fundraisers, “Since many students don’t carry cash, having electronic payment options like e-transfer or card readers is a must.”
UW Women’s Centre: The UW Women’s Centre, part of the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA), is led by coordinators Simran Mukkar and Emma Sookoo. The centre provides a supportive environment for women and trans students on campus. Their mission is to provide essential resources like free menstrual products, peer support, workshops, and sexual health information. However, running these services requires funding, and that’s where fundraising plays a pivotal role for the centre.
“We sold boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts throughout the day to raise money for reusable menstrual products, which we offer for free through our service. For a single-day event, we were really happy with the outcome. The fundraiser raised around $450, which would go toward replenishing the stock of menstrual cups and reusable pads for the next term. The money raised might not have been huge, but it’s enough to ensure that students continue to have access to these critical resources throughout the year,” Mukkar shares.
Well, as we know, fundraising isn’t always smooth sailing. With their team made up entirely of volunteers who juggle school, work, and personal commitments, the coordinators noted that coordinating volunteers can sometimes be tricky. “It’s tough to make sure everyone can commit time, especially since many of us have full course loads and part-time jobs. But timing is also key. Some days just don’t have the turnout we hope for. We’ve learned to plan strategically, choosing high-traffic days based on the WUSA events calendar,” Sookoo clarifies. What has helped make their fundraisers successful is a combination of strategic planning and clear communication about the purpose behind the event. Sookoo summarises, “When students understand that their support goes directly toward providing free health resources to the campus community, they’re more likely to engage. We want students to walk away with a better understanding of gender justice and how our work ties into those issues.”
