UNICEF Fundraises Through Photography and Social Media

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UNICEF, restarted after it fizzled out in 2013, has revitalized through fundraising and social media campaigns. (Andrea Garcia/The Fordham Ram).

UNICEF, restarted after it fizzled out in 2013, has revitalized through fundraising and social media campaigns. (Andrea Garcia/The Fordham Ram).
UNICEF, restarted after it fizzled out in 2013, has revitalized through fundraising and social media campaigns. (Andrea Garcia/The Fordham Ram).

By Theresa Schliep

As Halloween rolls around, one would be hard pressed to miss Facebook photos of Fordham students campaigning for UNICEF. The club, revitalized in the spring 2016 by Monica Olveira, FCRH ’18, after it had dissolved in 2013, has started a social media fundraiser for their Trick or Treat for UNICEF initiative.

Olveira, UNICEF president, said the goal for the social media photo campaign is to fund raise and engage.

“We seek to fund raise for UNICEF via students who had taken part in our campaign,” said Olveira. “Secondly, we hope to instill a sense of humanitarian action by engaging with these students, meeting with them to inform them of UNICEF’s work and encouraging them to advocate for pressing issues that affect kids globally.”

The social media campaign takes pictures of student athletes and student leaders at the university throughout the month of October. These students share their photos on Facebook and other social media, and solicit donations from friends and family.
Fordham’s UNICEF club is a branch of the United Nations that emphasizes humanitarian aid for children. The club is a part of the “UNICEF Campus Initiative Club,” according to Olveira.

“This partnership allows for a direct contact with UNICEF, their initiatives and their current work,” said Olveira.

Its most effective fundraiser has been the “Trick or Treat for UNICEF” online fundraiser. According to the website, the club has a $2,500 fundraising goal, of which 90 percent has been fund raised.

The fundraiser, a UNICEF trademark for over 60 years, is different at Fordham than the hallmark UNICEF campaign. While it typically involves kids collecting money for children living in poverty while trick or treating, Fordham’s UNICEF instead designated October as “Trick or Treat for UNICEF.” During October, they hosted programs such as the social media initiative, a Henna Night fundraiser and tabling for the #VaccinesWork initiative. In total, the club has fund raised $2,700.

This money will go to education, medicine and relief for children around the world. Olveira highlighted certain global humanitarian crises that necessitate fundraising and advocating.

“With the recent catastrophe in Haiti and the ongoing Syrian Refugee Crisis, there’s an increasing number of children who lack basic resources,” said Olveira. “Our hope is to fill this void as best we can.”

United Student Government (USG) recently named UNICEF as USG’s October Club of the Month.

“UNICEF has done a phenomenal job starting off the year strong and successfully reviving the previously inactive club,” said Daniel Stroie, GSB ’17. “[UNICEF] is all over social media and have raised a ton of awareness and buzz about their mission. We’re really proud of all the work they have done so far and can’t wait to see what comes next.”
Olveira said student interest originated at the club fair and has since increased dramatically. They have had nearly 20 sports teams and 10 clubs participate in the Trick of Treat for UNICEF photo campaign. She also said that attendance at their other fundraisers was high.

“[Athletics] help has been invaluable to us, and their excitement has truly pushed this campaign forward,” said Olveira.

Thomas Slattery, GSB ’18, captain of the Cross Country Team, said him and his team have enjoyed their involvement with UNICEF thus far and look forward to their continued involvement.

Olveira said UNICEF has functioned well because of their use of monthly committees. These committees focus on different issues, and an executive board member runs each one. They are aided with the help of a student committee head who is “an exceptional club member with demonstrated interest in the topic at hand, who provides additional support to ensure the success of their respective committees,” said Olveira.

Thomas Slattery, GSB ’18, participated in these committees as well as the club as a whole.

“Both the photo shoot and fundraising has offered me and the other UNICEF members a considerable amount of joy,” said Slattery. “All of the committees have been met with amazing participation and unwavering warmth from all of Fordham’s athletic teams, faculty and students. I can speak for cross country and track when I say we are looking forward to all future involvements.”

The club plans on having a Hunger Banquet and a Holiday Benefit Concert.