If you’re new to the site, you may have found us by purchasing some fair-trade coffee on the Drillfield. You may have spotted our logo on McBryde chalkboards and wondered what we are about. Thanks for taking time to visit us. In short, here’s what we’re doing:

Saving the world.

We’re Oxfam at Virginia Tech and we’re a chapter of an international organization committed to finding lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and injustice worldwide. So far, we’ve established our own microlending group on Kiva, advertised a collection drive by the Filipino American Student Association to help victims of the recent Typhoons in the South Pacific, are organizing a local volunteer event for hungry people in Roanoke, and have developed committees who are working on finding communities in need and projects that can make a sustainable difference.

If you’re also sick and tired of the worsening situations for the millions of people suffering from hunger, extreme poverty and exploitation, we are your chance to start making a real difference. We are committed to not only fighting these diseases financially, but also tackling them directly with our three-step plan.

1. Find a target community and research their situation
2. Apply Virginia Tech minds to finding several approaches that will develop a sustainable solution
3. Find individuals and partner organizations that can serve the target communities with our financial support and program ideas

Our next meeting is Monday, October 26 in Holden Auditorium at 8 P.M. We’ll be splitting up into our different campaigns: Hunger & Poverty, Climate Change, and Extractive Industries. We welcome all other social justice organizations to come and make announcements for good causes.

Our first partnership is with the Filipino American Student Association. They are collecting goods for victims of Typhoons Ketsana (Odnoy) and Parma, which hit late September. They’re in need of the following materials:

• Canned goods
• Potable water
• Medicine
• Clothes
• Slippers/Shoes
• Blankets
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Sanitary Napkins
• Kitchen Utensils
• Plates
• Towels
• Toiletries
• Monetary Donations

They will be collecting in Squires Students Center on the following dates:

Thursday, October 22, 2:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. – in front of the ATMs
Friday, October 23, 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. – Au Bon Pain Booth

VT Oxfam will be donating a box of donations from members. We are not only an initiative group, but a networking group with the aim of mobilizing all the active students on campus to turn hunger, poverty and suffering into a thing of the past.

This is only the beginning. By the end of next year, our goal is to have all of Virginia Tech’s campus involved to set an example for other universities nationwide. We believe in the impact 23,000 Hokies can have on these problems. Can you imagine what we can accomplish with millions of college students?

Last semester, VT raised over half a million dollars for Relay for Life. We are a phenomenal campus. Help us put Tech on the map for another amazing feat. We’re Oxfam at Virginia Tech and we want you to join the movement. End the suffering. Be the impact.

If you have specific questions you can e-mail us at oxfam(at)vt(dot)edu. You can ask to be added to our listserv for event and meeting announcements. We also form Facebook announcements for events and service projects on our Facebook group page. We meet every two Mondays in Holden Auditorium.

Hope to see you all next week.