Help with Student Food Insecurity at York U
Join the YURA team to do the 5 km walk!
Sponsor a team member!
Send the YURA fundraising link to your friends and relatives!
Event Details
The York University Retirees' Association will once again be participating in the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon Charity Challenge in October 2024.
While the larger, more competitive Toronto Waterfront Marathon has been announced for October 20th, the option of a “virtual” Charity Challenge is again being offered this year – this allows participants to do the 5 km on their own or with others -- even to spread out the 5 km over the entire month of October. Within this “virtual” framework, YURA plans to hold its own 5 km walk on the University campus for those preferring to participate with other YURA members.
YURA’s goal is to raise funds to help address student food insecurity at the University, given that one in four students at York struggles to afford food according to a 2023 Campus Well-Being Survey. Additional funding is required urgently to support the YFS Food Support Centre, the Glendon Food Bank, and other initiatives such as the open fridge program and grocery gift cards. Last year, YURA raised more than $20,000 for this cause and we hope to equal or surpass that amount this year.
To Participate
For detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to register for this year's YURA team to be a fundraising member of the 5km walk, please click here. If you need help registering, please contact Sheila Forshaw, e-mail sheilaforshaw13@gmail.com, phone 647.637.3479 or Steve Dranitsaris, e-mail sdrano@rogers.com, phone 647.880.4214. Please register early!
In October, YURA plans to hold a single 5 km walk on York University’s Keele Campus as we did in October 2023. Having the walk on campus allows us to engage students, faculty and staff in a broader effort to address food insecurity among campus students – even invite them to walk with us! All members of YURA as well as family and friends are welcome to join in the walk to show their concern and support. Further details about plans for the walk will be provided in the coming weeks.
To Donate
If you prefer not to participate but would like to sponsor the YURA team or one of the individual participants, tax deductible donations can be made online at:
https://raceroster.com/events/2024/79618/2024-tcs-toronto-waterfront-marathon/pledge/team/654279
Let's all do our part to help support the growing number of students who depend on food assistance. Their success at university cannot be achieved if they are hungry or not getting the nutrition they need.
Background
The Toronto Waterfront Marathon Charity Challenge unites the spirit of both runners and walkers with a unique fundraising program to support local charities in our community. Participants walk or run for different reasons, largely to support one of many important causes.
In 2023, participants raised over $2.5 million, much needed funds in support of 159 official charity partners. Since the Charity Challenge began in 2003, more than $53 million has been raised, making a significant impact in our local communities.
Participants register online for the event (either for a 5K, Half Marathon or full Marathon) to raise funds for their charity through a fundraising page generated by Race Roster, an online application used by the Canada Running Series, the group that organizes the annual Charity Challenge. Participants complete a run or walk (5 km, half marathon, full marathon) either virtually during the month of October anywhere; or in-person at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon held on Sunday, October 20th. In YURA's case, we generally walk the 5 km.
From 2019 to 2022, YURA members participated in the Charity Challenge, walking 5 km to raise funds for YURA sponsored graduate awards at York. Over those four years, close to $100,000 was raised for the endowment for the YURA Graduate Student Awards through our participation in the Charity Challenge. This enabled YURA to achieve the goal of endowing in perpetuity the three Awards given annually. In 2023, YURA’s fundraising cause shifted to help address the hunger and nutritional needs of a significant and growing number of students at York University: just over $20,000 was raised.
Think of joining us for our 5km walk in October 2024! It’s fun; it allows us to visit with other YURA members; it's healthy for us; and, like YURA’s previous fundraising activities, it supports York University students.