Twenty-four hours. Thatβs the amount of time in which the Franciscan Center for Social Concern (FCSC) at ΒιΆΉΣ³» will host #GivingTuesdayatBonas, an online fundraising event with a goal of $40,000 on Dec. 1.
Community encouraged to invest in SBU outreach ministries
Twenty-four hours. Thatβs the amount of time in which the Franciscan Center for Social Concern (
FCSC) at ΒιΆΉΣ³» will host #GivingTuesdayatBonas, an online fundraising event with a goal of $40,000 on Dec. 1.
A lifetime. Thatβs the span of time in which a gift to the FCSCβs many ministry programs can make a difference.
βA donation to #GivingTuesdayatBonas is an investment in people,β said Alice Miller Nation, director of the FCSC. βWith every dollar you give, you empower those who are served and those who serve.β
Miller Nation said that the center provides internships, service experiences and leadership opportunities that help transform students into community-conscious citizens. Students work with the poor and marginalized of society and can also participate in credited opportunities to study causes and solutions to social problems.
βThe Warming House, Bona Buddies and the other outreach programs of the FCSC are really classrooms,β Miller Nation said. βIt is so gratifying to watch our students learn from the people who come to the Warming House each day. When one of the Bona Buddies asks their SBU mentor on a Zoom call, βWhen we are done doing homework, can we just talk for a few minutes?β it makes me realize that not only do our students serve the community, but they are also learning from the community.β
The outreach ministries to benefit from the event include:
The Warming House, the nationβs oldest student-run soup kitchen, which is witnessing increased participation due to the pandemic;
Farm to Table, a summer program providing students hands-on experience with sustainable agriculture and service;
SBU@SPCA, offering Bona students the opportunity to support the work of the local SPCA;
Bona Buddies, a youth mentoring program pairing Bona students with local children; and the
SBU Food Pantry, offering support to community members experiencing food insecurity.
βIt costs approximately $150,000 to operate these social justice, advocacy and service programs,β Miller Nation said. βRaising $40,000 on Dec. 1 will be a huge help in funding these vital initiatives.β
In addition to supporting the outreach initiatives of the FCSC, #GivingTuesdayatBonas is in part student planned, implemented and evaluated, Miller Nation noted. SBU students are working alongside professionals at the university to learn about the impact of generosity on the local community.
βItβs our hope that Bona students learn and practice what it means to be a community that nurtures compassion, seeks wisdom and builds integrity while serving the Olean community through the Warming House, Bona Buddies and our other outreach programs,β Miller Nation said.
The community is invited to visit to learn more and to make a donation. Participants are asked to also use #GivingTuesdayatBonas on all social media channels to help spread the word.
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ΒιΆΉΣ³» the University: The nationβs first Franciscan university, ΒιΆΉΣ³» is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. In 2020, ΒιΆΉΣ³» was named the #2 regional university value in New York and #3 in the North by U.S. News and World Report.