The Queen’s University Class of 2021 began their giving journey with a contribution to help address water challenges in Indigenous communities across Canada, voting to give $15,000 to Water First.
The donation in the name of the Class of 2021 is a continuation of an initiative started with the Class of 2020. As a way of recognizing the unique challenges of that year, more than 7,000 Class-of-2020 graduates were sent a package from Queen’s that included a custom notebook and a letter encouraging them to make a difference in their communities. A portion of the price of each book was set aside for a donation. The Class of 2020 voted to send their donation to Food Banks Canada. The gift was part of the #180For180 challenge, named in honour of Queen’s 180th year and asks grads to keep giving in ways that are meaningful to them.
The initiative continued this year, with the Class of 2021 voting to support a charity that would further Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigeneity (EDII) as its priority. The graduates voted overwhelmingly in favour of Water First, which is Canada’s leading charitable organization dedicated to working with Indigenous communities to address local water challenges through education, training, and meaningful collaboration. Graduates chose Water First from a shortlist prepared by the Queen’s University Alumni Association.
Water First will use the donation to fund its three core programs: Drinking Water, Environmental Water, and Indigenous Schools.
