For many cultures, December and January mark a significant holiday season, time for giving gifts and sharing good food and good company. It’s a time to be thankful for the things we have in life, and also a time to think about those who might not be as fortunate as us. ILSC’s schools have taken this to heart, and many of our campuses are running fundraisers to help support a range of local and global causes.
Here’s the run-down of what’s ILSC staff and students have done this season:
ILSC-New Delhi students and staff show their committment to the Christmas Clothing and Food Drive
At ILSC-New Delhi –Blankets and Winter Clothes for the Homeless
ILSC-New Delhi runs a monthly community outreach program. The condition of homeless people of Delhi is very problematic. It is estimated that Delhi has around 1,000,000 people living below the poverty line. This month, ILSC-ND decided to raise funds ($ 200 approx. or even more) to buy blankets/winter clothes for the homeless children/people as xmas giving. Last month, ILSC-New Delhi did a similar kind of activity and it was a huge success, they managed to raise $140 in a week! The students join in the activity and distribute the blankets and clothes to the homeless. This month (December), they are doing a Christmas drive and including some candies and food for the distribution. We hope to be the Santa in people’s lives and put a smile on their face!
Presents under the tree for ILSC-Toronto’s Toy Drive
At ILSC-Toronto – Supporting Children in Need
ILSC-Toronto held it’s 5th annual toy drive to support the CP24/CHUM Christmas Wish campaign organized by CP24 News, and CHUM Radio. For donations of $1.00 staff and students received a “Wish Star”, which they could decorate, sign and place on the ILSC Christmas Wish tree on the 3rd floor. Unwrapped toys were also collected.
In total, ILSC-Toronto raised $1,077.50 and collected 90 new unwrapped toys for CP24 CHUM Christmas Wish!
At ILSC-Brisbane – CamTESOL Cambodian ESL Teacher Sponsorships
Every year in Cambodia there is a Professional Development conference for ESL teachers from around the world. Often ILSC-Brisbane has one or two teachers who join the conference and rave about how wonderful it is. This year, ILSC-Brisbane decided to raise funds to support native Cambodian teachers working in ESL to join in the conference. Usually, the fee would be way too high for them, given salary levels and cost of living in Cambodia. Brisbane held a bake sale (teachers provided cakes, biscuits and cookies) and students from the Café work skills classes made coffee to sell on Graduation Friday at a special CamTESOL café. They raised enough to support 4 Cambodian teachers who will attend the conference early next year!
Natalia Faustino Silva Poses with Anin from the Internship Dept., and her prize from the fundraiser launch day raffle.
At ILSC-Vancouver – Give Local, Give Global: Winter Fundraiser
ILSC-Vancouver has been doing a winter fundraiser to raise money for two great causes. Locally, they’re supporting the “Adopt-a-Family” program, which is run through the Salvation Army. ILSC-Vancouver was able to support two single-parent families in need with a food hamper and gifts this Christmas.
Globally, ILSC-Vancouver has been raising money for the Learn-to-Earn program at our New Delhi school. The Learn-to-Earn program provides English, and career skills training to young disadvantaged Indian women and girls. After completing the training, the students are often able to find better career opportunities and raise their whole families out of poverty.
ILSC-Vancouver has been raising money by selling cool buttons for $3 ea. ILSC-Vancouver raised $967.49 in total, and a number of grocery stores donated gift cards towards the Adopt-a-family cause.
Are you studying at one of these ILSC campuses? Have you supported any of these initiatives? Leave a comment and tell us about it.