On Oct. 1, members of the York University Retirees’ Association (YURA) will walk five kilometres through the University’s Keele Campus to raise funds for the York Federation of Students (YFS) Food Support Centre and help alleviate student food insecurity across campuses.
YURA has once again decided to walk in support of food insecurity – notably, the YFS Student Food Bank, the Glendon Food Bank, as well as the open fridge and grocery card programs.
The upcoming fundraising walk is being held in conjunction with the Toronto Waterfront Marathon Charity Challenge, which offers the option of a “virtual” Charity Challenge allowing registrants to walk the five kilometres on their own or with others.
The Oct. 1 walk will take place at 1 p.m., starting at the Lorna Marsden Honour Court (north of the Seymour Schulich Building, east of the York University subway station), the location of the YURA office, and taking participants through the scenic parts of campus. All members of the University community are welcome to join the walk, which will take approximately one hour, to show their support for this important cause. Anyone wishing to participate is welcome to do either all or part of the walk, depending on their time availability and/or endurance.
So far this year, YURA’s Charity Challenge team has raised more than $12,000 in sponsor donations from friends, family members, former York colleagues and co-workers. YURA welcomes further contributions from faculty, staff and others who are concerned about student food insecurity at the University. To sponsor the YURA team or any of its members, tax-deductible online donations can be made.
The YURA team consists of five members registered officially as fundraisers, plus a larger contingent of York U retirees who are supporting this cause. Those who wish to join the team should contact the YURA office at yura@yorku.ca or by phone at 416-736-2100 ext. 70664.
This is the sixth year that YURA is taking part in the Charity Challenge. From 2019 through 2022, YURA’s participation raised sufficient funds to endow in perpetuity three graduate student awards given annually at York University. Last year, a total of $20,000 was raised in support of the YFS Food Support Centre.