McGill MBA student fundraising event for Santropol Roulant a success

Thanks to the numerous supporters, including Dean Ross in the picture above, this novel fundraising event held by McGill MBA students for Santropol Roulant raised over $1,000 in less than three hours.

Sponsored by Mountain Equipment Co-op, the event's main attraction was a "Bike Blender" – a stationary bike that powers a blender that makes fresh fruit drinks. Santropol Roulant cakes and clothes were also sold.

Unlike other fundraisers that focus mainly on raising funds for the organization, this event also raised students' awareness of the dependence of this organization on youth volunteers – integral to the sustainability of the organization's Meals On Wheels program.

Adrienne Rosenswig, a second year McGill MBA student and a Community Experience Initiative (CEI) intern last summer for Santropol Roulant, reinforced McGill's connection to the organization. CEI is a unique program that places management students in summer positions in not-for-profit organizations and socially responsible businesses across Canada. As the lead organizer of this event, Adrienne has involved management students at all levels, including the McGill MBA Student Council, the McGill Chapter of the American Marketing Association, McGill's MBA Investment Club, the McGill Graduate Business Conference, Marketing Network (undergraduate club), as well as Faculty of Management departments, including the McGill Alumni & Development Office and the McGill Management Career Centre. Through this event, students gained a better understanding of the not-for-profit sector's needs and challenges, while the organization benefited from business students' involvement and support.

Santropol Roulant is a Montreal-based volunteer organization conceived and run by motivated and dynamic young people. Founded in 1995, the organization links community members across cultures and generations through its meals on wheels service and intergenerational programs.

Last October, the McGill MBA Program was recognized in the Beyond Grey Pinstripes Survey conducted by the Aspen Institute and the World Resources Institute for infusing environmental and social impact management into the classroom, activities and faculty research.