York’s second annual Giving Day raises over £171,000
Posted on 19 October 2020
The second annual York Unlimited Giving Day took place on 4 and 5 November, raising over £171,000 for students and mental health causes at York.
The total was made up of gifts of all sizes from staff members, students, alumni and friends from 40 countries in 6 of the world’s continents. 300 Ambassadors for York joined in by spreading the word to their networks across the world, and over 20 student fundraisers were involved in securing support for Giving Day causes from alumni living in the UK.
In some cases, donations were doubled thanks to donors who offered matched donations, while other supporters successfully challenged members of the York community to go above and beyond in aid of students and mental health causes at York.
The raised sum is enough to support:
- Over 80 York Futures Scholarships, to support York students in securing opportunities that will boost their employability after graduation;
- Over 20 York Opportunities Scholarships, to help those from less advantaged backgrounds access higher education at York;
- 2 years of an Equal Access Scholarship, to help asylum-seeking students access higher education at York;
- An entire round of Mentally Fit York funding for University and community projects to improve mental health on local, national and international scales, and;
- An entire round of funding to support student clubs, groups and societies through YuFund.
Mary Haworth, Director of Philanthropic Partnerships and Alumni at York, said: “One of the many things I love about Giving Day is that its success is down to many different people coming together to play a part; whether as an ambassador, a challenge-setter or one of the many donors around the world who helped to unlock these challenge gifts, every contribution counts. The collaboration that goes into supporting these causes is truly inspiring.
I’d like to say a special thanks to the University of York Council members, the Board of the University of York in America, Anthony O’Carroll, Colin Mellors, Robin & Sue Perutz, Tom Miller, Joanna Rogers, Chris and Mia O'Donnell, and TSYS for their generosity. And not forgetting the excellent team that made this all possible.”
Patrick O’Donnell, President of the University of York Students’ Union (YUSU) said: "I am absolutely delighted with the huge success of our annual Giving Day this year. Students have shown how keen they are to get back to campus safely to engage in their studies, as well as societies, sports and volunteering projects. The support from our generous community is vital to ensuring this and to improving the development and wellbeing of students. I would like to extend my thanks to everybody who took part and made Giving Day such a brilliant success at a time of such significant change for us all."
If you missed Giving Day, but you’d like to support students and mental health at York with a gift, you can do so by emailing yorkunlimited@york.ac.uk.