Puebla Service Project fundraising ideas?

Hello Duluthians! My name is Astrid Mazariegos. I am a second year pharmacy student at UMD.

This year I am coordinating a trip to Puebla, Mexico. Usually, only students from the College of Pharmacy Twin Cities campus participate. However, this year I wanted to promote this great opportunity in Duluth. So far I have 15 classmates who have signed up.

Now, what is this trip about?

Each spring, a group of students at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy organizes a service trip to rural Mexico to perform health screenings in the state of Puebla. The towns that pharmacy students visit often do not have doctors and the population’s access to health services is very limited. The locals eagerly await the pharmacy students’ return every May; many come back to see them from year to year!

I had the opportunity to participate last year with a group of 19 students. We screened over 550 people for diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, in addition to providing some medication management services. This is a very exciting opportunity for pharmacy students as it provides a valuable service to those in need.

The selected group of pharmacy students is responsible for raising all the money needed to cover their trip expenses. In addition to plane tickets, hotel accommodations, and transportation within Mexico, we must also raise funds to buy costly medical testing supplies (such as: glucose test strips, glucometers, cholesterol screening supplies, and lancets). While we are actively pursuing grants and holding fundraisers, the efforts of our small group alone cannot raise enough money to cover all the expenses of the trip.

We are in need of some advice and support. So far, we have collected a couple of items and certificates to hold a raffle or silent auction. We are working on setting up a book fair at Barnes and Noble in March.

This is what prompts me to ask you if you know of any business or individual that would consider making a donation (items or certificates) toward our trip? The Mexico trip is organized through a nonprofit student organization called MPSA (the Minnesota Pharmacy Student Alliance). Any leads would help us greatly!

If you would like to also share any fundraising ideas with us, please do so!

Thank you so much for your help!

Astrid

11 Comments

spy1

about 12 years ago

Do the same work here each week and ask for tips and sponsors. You'd pay for your trip.

BadCat!

about 12 years ago

Wow, what a great service! I don't have any actual advice, but good luck on your selfless service!

Carla

about 12 years ago

Not trying to be negative here ... Puebla is beautiful, colonial and grand -- worth seeing. The outlying villages are, yes, indigent and I appreciate what you are trying to do.

However, as a business owner, I have to tell you that all of us are tapped out on silent auctions.  They have become a scourge. Try to think of some fund-raising effort where you do the work -- not one where we do the work. Snow shoveling, car wash, hot dogs, put on a show, etc.

Apastripid

about 12 years ago

I totally agree.  This raffle/silent auction idea is actually not taking place yet.  It is a last resort.  

So far, I have a few students pet sitting, selling movie tickets and candy, textbooks, cleaning other students' homes, and a spelling bee contest.

Snow shoveling is another great idea.  Please keep them coming!

Thanks!

adam

about 12 years ago

Another scourge: bands playing fundraisers. Door guy gets paid. Sound guy gets paid. Waitress gets paid. Bartender gets paid. Band plays for free.

Carla

about 12 years ago

Adam -
If it makes you feel any better, when we had the Kozy fire benefit we fed and beered the musicians and I gave them a valuable art work from the auction.  The cooks and waitresses donated their time.

adam

about 12 years ago

You, miss, are a much welcomed rarity.

jessige

about 12 years ago

Astrid, can you contact drug companies about donating the supplies, or is that some kind of conflict of interest?

rafart

about 12 years ago

So Astrid, without further ado, how do I go about making a donation?

Apastripid

about 12 years ago

Thank you, rafart! It is very easy.  We give you a letter detailing who we are and what we are doing for your records and our tax exempt number for your taxes.  We can have someone pick up your donation, or it can be mailed and we would pick up the shipping, whichever way you prefer.  My school email address is maza0031 @ d.umn.edu 

Thank you!

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