The Northwestern chapter of Engineering World Health is planning campus-wide efforts to raise funds for Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach, a nonprofit focusing on global health care. Recently, EWH raised over $400 in private donations for the organization through a fundraiser at NU’s Sheil Catholic Center.
“It’s always a really meaningful sponsorship,” said Betsy Johnson, the volunteer associate at Mission Outreach. “Every dollar donated is really an investment in another country.”
According to the organization’s website, Mission Outreach recovers medical supplies and equipment and redistributes these supplies to developing countries. By sending these supplies, which would otherwise be thrown away, the organization is able to assist with the medical needs of people in these countries. The Hospital Sisters of St. Francis founded the organization in 2002, and since then have distributed more than $24 million of usable medical equipment and supplies.
Students from EWH began volunteering with Mission Outreach in August 2010, Johnson said. Students from EWH go to Mission Outreach’s warehouse site in Chicago every other month and also repair and test medical equipment before it is sent to other countries. Mission Outreach’s effort is closely related to the mission of EWH, said McCormick junior Paaras Modi, the EWH volunteer chair.
“We both have a goal of improving and increasing the awareness for the sustainable health movement around the world and in our community,” Modi said.
McCormick junior Elizabeth Appelt spearheaded the fundraising efforts at Sheil. She became involved with Sheil her freshman year, and after joining EWH Fall Quarter, she said she suggested EWH should try to raise funds for Mission Outreach. On April 15, EWH collected monetary donations and pledges for hygiene packs after Sunday mass.
“This was part of an ongoing opportunity for Sheil and our students to integrate more with those initiatives on campus that are more in line with our social justice teachings,” said Father John Kartje, chaplain and director of the center.
Kartje said he hopes EWH will continue their collaboration, and is interested in having the group make a presentation to Sheil’s members.
With the success of their first fundraiser at Sheil, the members of EWH are now setting their sights on expanding fundraising options to the entire campus, Appelt said. By the end of the quarter, the group hopes to hold a fundraiser, possibly a bake sale, she said.
“Any kind of funds raised would go towards shipping a container (of supplies),” Modi said.
Shipping supplies to other countries is very costly, Johnson said.
Michael Aleman, a McCormick sophomore heavily involved with Mission Outreach through EWH, said that every little bit helps.
“When people get involved with an organization like this, not only can they contribute some of their time, but it helps a lot in the rest of the world,” Aleman said.
The fundraising efforts the group is planning for Mission Outreach are separate from the current fundraising efforts the EWH has for their own umbrella organization. This quarter, the NU chapter raised money for the national EWH through a 5K race, which typically occurs every quarter.
Currently, EWH’s involvement with Mission Outreach is limited, Aleman said. He said the group is hoping to get more people involved and improve the organization’s operations.
“It’s not just another typical school group you can use to boost your resume,” Aleman said. “It’s an organization you can really make a difference with.”
