We’ve all swerved the fundraising frenzy that the main floor of the Kirkhof Center can sometimes be. As the social center of campus, it’s the prime location to direct all philanthropies. Everyone has their cause, their donation box, their cookies and their fliers. We create an absurd distance between ourselves and the tables, trying our best to avoid eye contact.

Sometimes I’ve been on the other end of the exchange, so I can relate. Handing out the fliers can be just as excruciating as receiving them. I’ve been in that realm of awkwardness, just trying to get some recognition for my organization or a charity. I understand, but I also question the way in which we go about fundraising.

The Kirkhof Center is certainly the logical place to raise money on campus considering all the student traffic that shuffles through, but consider that audience: college students. As in, people who paid for that puppy chow from your bake sale in coins at the bottom of their backpack and currently have $13 dollars in their checking account.

Most of the time, the people trying to help you out or maybe just trying to enjoy a delicious snack are squandering out crumpled dollar bills.

Another thing that makes it difficult is that very few of the college population I’ve met carries cash on them except for the servers of the student body. Our fundraising is just a system of broke college students gathering up some means to help other broke college systems. It’s a cycle of brokenness. I give you a buck because I’ve been there and then maybe you’ll give me a buck later and help my group.

It’s quite strange that we’re aiming for funds from struggling students. I suppose it’s sensible. It’s a very convenient campus location, not much planning is required. Booking a table is probably the hardest part and then you can basically just sit back or try to catch eye contact with a potential donor.

This is all fine, I just wonder could we be a little more creative? Could we go somewhere where it’s not just college students? Could we maybe go outside of our comfort zone and really immerse ourselves into a project?

There are certainly student-run organizations that do more than raise money for a cause, but if your group is not one of those, I really encourage donating something more—your time. Raising money can certainly make a difference but actually spending time with the people you are handing out fliers about is important.

Are you raising money for a homeless shelter? Why not go volunteer and serve food? Why not try to get other people involved? Perhaps working together by spending time with our causes, we could also make a difference. Yes, raising money is a fantastic start, but sometimes volunteering can broaden your perspective and grant you a better understanding of the cause.