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THE HILLSDALE EFFECT |
CLUB ADVISOR - MS. VAN BEEK
ABOUT THE CLUB
Our mission is to spread awareness about poverty throughout our own community and empower Guatemalan women through microloans and business education. The money raised will empower these women economically so that they can change their current circumstances and break out of the cycle of poverty. The main goal of our organization is not to provide charity to these women, but to educate them in business so that they can become self sufficient. Each micro loan recipient is provided with the financial literacy needed to ensure more opportunities for their future. As students who care about women’s issues and poverty surrounding us, we hope to make a difference, one woman and one microloan at a time.
WHY GUATEMALA?
We decided to focus a lot of our energy in a small area rather than trying to fix poverty everywhere, which can prove to be overwhelming and ineffective. We believe that if different groups throughout the world each focus on a concentrated area, we will be able to achieve success on a larger scale.In many developing countries, women are the biggest victims of poverty due to gender discrimination which leaves them with few job opportunities and lower pay. This problem is exacerbated with the responsibility of caring for families that often falls on a woman’s shoulders. Our hope is that by setting a precedent with women in Guatemala, we will eventually be able to reach other women with our message of empowerment.
WHY WOMEN?
In many developing countries, women are the biggest victims of poverty due to gender discrimination which leaves them with few job opportunities and lower pay. This problem is exacerbated with the responsibility of caring for families that often falls on a woman’s shoulders. Our hope is that by setting a precedent with women in Guatemala, we will eventually be able to reach other women with our message of empowerment.
FUNDRAISERS:
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PENNY WARS Every fall, The Hillsdale Effect kicks off the year with something truly exciting: Penny Wars! This is a game that the entire school participates in, designed to raise money for microloans. The idea is to have every student bring loose change to school and place it in their advisory’s (homeroom’s) designated jug. Every single cent in coin form is worth a positive point. The catch is, every cent in the form of paper money is worth a negative point, meaning that students can sabotage other homerooms hundreds of points at a time with just a few dollars. The object of the game is to win the most points, and this fuels everyone in the school to bring large amounts of money or even just contribute a few coins found in their pockets. This past year, our club was pleased to announce that we raised over $7,364.79 from this eight-day event! This is the second year in a row that we have been able to fundraise over $7,300 from Penny Wars. It was incredible to see that everyone in our school has the capacity to take simple actions that will greatly improve the lives of people in Guatemala. Many of us have spare change lying around--will you use it to change the world? |
TACO DINNER The Hillsdale Effect hosts an annual Taco Dinner every spring in an effort to fundraise money for their summer study tour to Guatemala. Club members reach out to the local community to ask various restaurants, grocery stores, and other community members for taco ingredients and various donations. After an intense few weeks of organizing, planning, and publicizing, the members kick off the dinner with a tantalizing array of homemade black beans, marinated chicken, fresh salsa, shredded cheese, with festive Latin American music serenading the guests. From Hillsdale sports players to faculty to Hillsdale Effect alumni, people arrive from all over for an evening of delicious tacos and to support a good cause. Join us for Taco Dinner 2017! More details to come. |
