This is the beginning of something I hope will be a regular feature on Innermost Parts: A roundup of what the various activist clubs are up to, and how you can get involved.
Welcome to the first ever Innermost Parts On-Campus Activism Report: Inaugural Edition.
Drive Out: Poverty, hosted by Positive Foundations(?)
Your used book donations can fight poverty at home and abroad!
Donate your old textbooks in the specially marked boxes in Shapiro Atrium. Next semester, you can buy the textbooks others donated on the cheap. All money goes to the amazing kiva.org and equally amazing Donorschoose.org.
The collection drive started yesterday, and you can donate textbooks until the end of finals week. More information under the fold.
Darfur Refugee Collection Drive Hosted by Impact Aliyah, STAND
Donate supplies or money to Darfur Refugees in Israel
There have been many Sudanese refugees/immigrants seeking asylum in Israel over the last few years, due to the whole Darfur tragedy. Impact Aliyah and STAND are starting a donation drive for “school supplies, food, packable blankets, and anything you think might be useful for the refugees as they enter the colder months in Israel,” but also, of course, money. During winter break, Impact Aliyah participants will distribute everything they collected personally to the refugees as they visit Israel.
This is a really cool partnership between two different groups on campus. Good! You can donate items “in the main entrance to the village, the main entrance to Hass in East, the Bet Midrash, and the library.” If you’d rather straight-up donate money, they will be tabling in Sherman “Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights collecting money.”
With the semester winding down, I think that’s it for active progressive campaigns on campus. Be sure to email me or leave a message in the comments if you think I missed anything.
Here’s the full text of the Drive Out: Poverty email I received:
Did you know Brandeis students have already raised $1800 over two semesters to drive out hunger and leukemia by donating and then buying back textbooks? This semester, the focus is on poverty.
Drive Out: Poverty will be collecting used textbooks and books of any kind. *The donated books will be resold to Brandeis students next semester at cheap prices to raise money for microcredit loans and schools, all while providing you with affordable textbooks!* To learn more about how the money from your book donations can change lives, check out the sites of the organizations to which Drive Out: Poverty will be donating — kiva.org and DonorsChoose.org.
Labeled collection boxes will be in Shapiro Atrium from Friday, Dec. 14, until the end of finals week.
Here’s the full text of the Darfur email I received:
If you would like to put items in the collection boxes for the Darfur refugees in Israel, the boxes will be up until Tuesday. They are located in the main entrance to the village, the main entrance to Hass in East, the Bet Midrash, and the library. We are collecting school supplies, food, packable blankets, and anything you think might be
useful for the refugees as they enter the colder months in Israel.If you do not have the time to pick up some items for the collection but would like to participate in this incredible opportunity, you can donate an mount of your choice and participants on Impact Aliyah will purchase items once they are in Israel to deliver to the refugees!
There will be a table in Sherman on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights collecting money. Every dollar helps!
Another email detailing the Darfur Refugee/Impact Aliyah / Stand donation drive:
Over the past couple years Israel has witnessed a huge increase in Sudanese refugees seeking asylum in Israel, escaping genocidal Sudan and harsh treatment in Egypt. This past fall Israel decided to accept500 refugees from Darfur. The refugees now in Israel have a long road ahead of them in terms of getting their feet on the ground and settling in a completely foreign country. We will be collecting school supplies and toiletries for the refugees which will be delivered to them over winter break by Brandeis participants on the Israel trip ImpactAliyah. Any donation is greatly appreciated.
There are collection boxes in the Village Main entrance as well as the main entrance of Hass in East, the library, and the Beit Midrash.