The Franciscan Center for Social Concern (FCSC) at St. Bonaventure University kicks off its second annual #GivingTuesdayatBonas fundraising initiative on Dec. 3.

The 24-hour crowdfunding event aims to raise $40,000 for social justice, advocacy and service programs on campus.

“Bona students put Franciscan values into action every day,” said Alice Miller Nation, director of the FCSC. “They serve platefuls of warm meals, act as mentors to area youth and provide a hand up for the marginalized in our society.”

Miller Nation noted that the FCSC provides internships, service experiences and leadership opportunities that help transform students into community-conscious citizens. Also offered are academically credited opportunities to study both causes and solutions to social problems.

“Our students become attuned to the human and spiritual needs of our community members,” she said. “When you donate to #GivingTuesdayatBonas, you invest in people.”

Several longstanding and beloved FCSC programs will benefit from the event, including: Bona Buddies, a youth mentoring program; Silver Wolves, which connects students with elderly residents at a local assisted living home; BREAK the Bubble, a service trip program; Warming House, the nation’s oldest student-run soup kitchen; and Farm to Table, a summer program providing students hands-on experience with sustainable agriculture and service.

Two new programs will also benefit: Friends with Sisters, which offers students an opportunity to companion a retired sister at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse; and the Food Pantry, which offers a variety of fresh, frozen, refrigerated and canned/boxed food items to members of the community.

“I’ve witnessed the power of these programs — both for those who serve and for those who are served — and the results are a positive flow of hope and good,” said Miller Nation.

The community is invited to donate now through Dec. 3 and to use #GivingTuesdayatBonas on all social media channels to help spread the word.

New this year is an anonymous $700 challenge match to encourage student participation in the crowdfunding event. Any Bona student gift over $5 will be matched, up to $700 overall. The student must use his or her Bona email address when completing the gift form online.

“Three anonymous donors pooled their money to create this fun challenge for the students,” said Miller Nation. “They recognize that every gift matters and want to amplify the power of student giving.”

For more information or to make a gift by phone, please contact SBU’s Advancement Services at (716) 375-2330.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. In 2019, St. Bonaventure was named the #1 regional university value in New York and #2 in the North by U.S. News and World Report.