Although fraternities and sororities catch flak for their exclusivity and partying, greek life organizations are well known their acts of philanthropy. Fundraisers run the gamut from carwashes to silent auctions, two tried and true methods of raising money on campus. In these instances, unique fundraisers greatly exceeded expectations and took to the headlines. When you’re planning your upcoming fundraisers, take a page out of these chapters’ books.
Alpha Tau Omega Faces the Freeze
Michigan winters are long and unforgiving, often pushing into the Spring semester break. If you attended Grand Valley State and had your choice of a sunny, beachside break in Florida and a week amid the bitter cold, the choice would be pretty obvious.
Instead of kicking back by the ocean, this chapter of Alpha Tau Omega took to the freezing streets to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. They spent their spring break on a 160-mile trek from Allendale to Traverse City. And these guys weren’t spending their evenings curled up by the fireplace; nearly every night was spent sleeping on church benches and floors. By the end of their journey, they raised over $15,000 for their cause.
Benevolent Brawling at the University of Texas
Since 1976, the Sigma Chis at the University of Texas have held an annual Fight Night fundraiser. It’s exactly what it sounds like: representatives from different campus organizations put up their dukes in amateur boxing matches.
In 2014, the Sigma Chis raised $40,000, but their most recent Fight Night was a smashing success. Fighters from twenty groups participated in the tournament, and even well-known alumni supported and participated in the event. At the end of the night, over $100,000 was raised for charity! Although the funds usually benefit UT student organizations, Sigma Chi donated the proceeds to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation and the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation. Widespread support from the student body definitely helped, but so did an appearance by 2Chainz.
Iota Phi Theta Lays the Foundation for a New Life
The Beta Xi chapter of Iota Phi Theta wanted to give someone in need a new start, all with a plot of land. When the city of Newark, New Jersey offered cheap land (providing it would be lived on for five years) on Valentine’s Day, the Kean University fraternity saw the sale as an opportunity to give back to the community. The guys could have easily built a new frat house, but they wanted to build a new home for Jovanni Franklin and her two-year-old son, Deshawn, a local homeless family.
The Iota Phi Thetas’ effort was supported by other Kean campus organizations. To help boost awareness of their new initiative, they created a GoFundMe campaign to raise $150,000 to build the new home. As stated on their donation page, all the need is 1000 people to donate $150. Hopefully, this will launch a new tradition for not only the fraternity, but the Kean University community as a whole.
