HerCampus hosts fundraiser to help women in need

Coastal Carolina University’s Her Campus branch is hosting fundraisers throughout the month of March to help the local women’s shelter, New Directions. 

 

Her Campus is an all-female, international, online magazine written by college women. According to the Her Campus Coastal Connections page, CCU’s chapter aims to build a community of acceptance and empowerment while giving space for students to develop skills in English, journalism, marketing, communication, photography, graphic design, and finance. 

 

The New Directions fundraiser aims to help the community and was inspired by Women’s History Month, Coastal Her Campus President Sarah McGonigle said. She said there will be several events such as “pie-ing” and selling goody bags. McGonigle said the tabling events will take place March 30-31 on Prince Lawn. The chapter hopes to raise around $400. 

 

“It’s really awesome that it’s something local. We’ve done fundraisers before for Planned Parenthood,” McGonigle said. “Doing something local I feel like that really makes everyone feel a bigger impact.” 

 

The next pie and tabling event will be on March 31, said Kaitlin Serad, Her Campus treasurer.  

 

Serad said they planned for a money-based fundraiser rather than a clothing drive due to COVID protocols. Serad said she found New Directions when searching for local women-owned organizations. She said all the donations will go towards New Directions. 

 

“We are trying to give them as much as we can to help some people get in and get out,” Serad said. “The more money they have, they can get people to stay at the shelter and kind of get them on their feet and then get them out so the next slot opens up.” 

 

New Directions is a small shelter but one in demand with a waitlist, Serad said. She said the New Directions website outlines exactly what the donations are funding. 

 

“I’m really happy to see all the people in Her Campus working and trying to make this successful, and that’s just another thing that speaks to Her Campus itself,” Serad said. 

 

According to the New Directions website, one donation of $15 provides a night’s stay for someone in crisis to rest with basic needs met. New Directions website said the highest individual donation was $2,000, covering the costs of 120 days in the program. A $100 donation can provide a week for an individual, and a $500 donation can provide for a week for a family of five. 

 

The women’s magazine is a great writing opportunity, said Kevlyn Lewis, a senior health communication major and writer for Her Campus. 

 

“It’s a really good opportunity for women in college to get published and it just helps us with our resumes and talk about issues involving women,” Lewis said.