Giving Tuesday at VIU Raises Funds for Students in Need

VIU’s eighth annual Giving Tuesday campaign runs from November 15 to November 30, 2021.

Vancouver Island University (VIU) welcomes learners of all different ages and backgrounds.

Sometimes learners need a little extra help to make their educational goals a reality, which is why the University has run a Giving Tuesday campaign for the past eight years. Giving Tuesday is a global movement to give back during the busy holiday shopping season.

VIU’s Giving Tuesday campaign runs from November 15 to 30, 2021. One of the priorities is to raise awareness about a new course filling a learning support gap for Indigenous Elders, Residential and Day School Survivors and Sixties Scoop Survivors who want to learn basic language skills such as reading and writing. Called The Literacy Circle: Learning for Life, the program came about after Day School Survivor Linda Jack gathered friends and community groups to help her in her quest to learn how to read. The First Elders Training, Healing, Education and Respect Society (FETHERS) was formed and then VIU approached them to offer a program that could meet the unique needs of Jack and others.

“I am fighting for those that have passed, I am fighting for those that are here but forgotten and I am fighting for future generations,” says Jack. “We need to get back to what was stolen before more of our people die without their dignity and respect returned.”

If you choose to support The Literacy Circle, your gift will be used to support student service fees, travel expenses, textbooks and school supplies. For every $5,000 raised, a new learner will be able to participate in the course. If there is a different area or program at VIU you care passionate about, you can choose to direct your donation there as well.

“The Literacy Circle is an incredible new initiative that demonstrates VIU’s commitment to meeting the unique needs of Indigenous communities and ensuring anyone who wishes to access education can do so,” says Richard Horbachewski, VIU Chief Advancement Officer and Executive Director of the VIU Foundation. “When it comes to making a difference in the success of a VIU student, every little bit has the potential to make a big difference. Please consider making a gift through our Giving Tuesday Campaign.”

Donations made for Giving Tuesday can have double the impact, as the VIU Foundation and challenge donors have made limited matching funds available to the campaign and 100% of every donation will go directly to the fund chosen by the donor.

Starting on Monday, November 15, make your gift online by credit card on the VIU Giving Tuesday homepage, or call David Forrester, VIU Advancement Manager, at 250.618.1319.

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Media Contact:

Jenn McGarrigle, External Communications Advisor, Vancouver Island University

C: 250.619.6860 | E: Jenn.McGarrigle@viu.ca T: @VIUNews