In a 48-hour online fundraiser, Kappa Sigma Fraternity and Pi Beta Phi Sorority combined efforts to raise $1,908 to donate to UNICEF in support of Ukraine.

“We felt strongly about everything going on with Russia and Ukraine and we wanted to help out in any way we could,” said Ava Thomas, a junior merchandising, apparel and textiles and integrated strategic communications double major.

Thomas, the philanthropy chair in Pi Beta Phi, said that after the sorority decided to hold the fundraiser, it was “quick to reach out” to Kappa Sigma to have a joint fundraiser.

After reaching out, members of Kappa Sig were eager to help. “We were completely on board,” said Jonathan Andrews, a sophomore information communication technology major and member of the fraternity.

Andrews, the treasurer and t-shirt chair of Kappa Sigma, aided both organizations’ philanthropy chairs in setting up and conducting the fundraiser. The organizations used social media platforms and their networks to get the word out.

“We used our Pi [Beta] Phi Instagram, and members posted it on their own accounts. I know people also reached out to their families to tell them about it as well,” Thomas said.

Andrews, who has a connection to an employee at Microsoft, had the opportunity to reach out to the tech company about the fundraiser. Through this employee connection, Microsoft donated on Kappa Sigma and Pi Beta Phi’s behalf.

“We donated $636, but Microsoft tripled that. So we donated, effectively, $1,908,” Andrews said. “That’s a lot. It was like a 2:1 match.”

Andrews said that both organizations wanted to do a quick fundraiser in order to have immediate funds to send to support Ukraine.

“It’s a pressing issue right now. It’s moving very fast,” Andrews said. “I think just like a quick one to raise that [much] and then using the company match was pretty effective.”

Being able to raise almost $2,000 in such a short time period was something that both organizations were proud of.

“It was such an amazing feeling,” Thomas said. “I was so excited and happy that we were able to donate that much and help out.”

As far as the possibility of these organizations doing another fundraiser for Ukraine, they are watching to see how the crisis develops.

“Depending on how it goes, we may do another fundraiser,” Andrews said. “I’d love to.”