Community Fundraiser - Building Bridges Through Solidarity: Jennifer’s Story

As we kick off our summer campaign, Keep It Cool - Community Fundraiser, to support the distribution of summer clothes at our Free Shop, we’d like to share the story of Jennifer—a dedicated fundraiser and on-the-ground volunteer.

She first visited Samos, all the way from Canada, last year and came across our work at Samos Volunteers. Inspired by the mission, she returned home and began fundraising efforts within her local community. Now, she’s back—this time not just as a supporter, but as an active part of our team. In this interview, Jennifer shares her experience, motivations, and reflections on her experience with Samos Volunteers. 

How Did You Come Across Samos Volunteers?

“I came across Samos Volunteers when I was preparing for a Compassion Unit for the kids at my school in Vancouver, Canada,” Jennifer explains. “I saw your website and I just loved the way it was written and the obvious respect and dignity that was at the forefront of everything that you do.”

After exploring the website, Jennifer attended a Zoom session featuring author Helen Benedict, who had written books about asylum seekers on Samos. “I just loved the zoom, the passion that people have and the integrity. I made a donation, ordered the books, read the books, and then that sparked a real interest to see what you guys do in person. And then we ended up coming here, six months later, to visit.”

Fundraising in Canada: Raising Awareness and Mobilizing Communities

Jennifer’s first visit left a lasting impact, and once back home, she began organizing fundraisers to support the work she had witnessed.

“The initial reaching out to people felt overwhelming,” she recalls. “It was my friend, when I told her what I was doing, who suggested we set up a pop-up bakery, make cupcakes that people could pre-order for Valentine's Day, and then we could send all the proceeds to Samos Volunteers.”

The community rallied around her. “It was a snowy day. Well, it was February 14th. It was Valentine's Day. There was snow on the ground. We set up a tent, and we had a heater and our gloves on, and people just drove by, and picked up their cupcakes.”

What surprised Jennifer most was the support from strangers. “I did a little post on Instagram, and people I did not know just pulled up and donated $100 for a cupcake.”

Jennifer also tried a more targeted approach. “The other idea that I had for fundraising was that if I just got 50 people to give me $100, I would be able to raise a good sum. So, I wrote down 50 names and I just asked for $100 and I told them what I was doing and people were really supportive. And so that was $5000.”

Her efforts extended to her school, where she combined her role as a librarian with her passion for education. “We had the idea of selling stickers to the kids at my school for $5 each, which would buy a book in Farsi or Arabic, which was one of the needs on Samos. So, they would buy a sticker, write their name on it with ‘love from Canada’, and then we could purchase books.”

Volunteering on Samos: Turning Support Into Action

Jennifer found support and structure through the resources we offer to fundraisers. “The fundraising pack that is on the website was amazing. That gave me everything I needed that I could easily print off and get started. Then, just reaching out to you guys, getting the QR codes, putting them out on social media. So I just became informed about what you're doing.”

Then came the decision to return—this time as a volunteer. “I made my decision at Christmas time to come back in the spring, after having the time to fundraise back home, and it was a big decision.”

Part of that decision was deeply personal. “You know, my good friend who passed away in December, she was a teacher and she was passionate about education and helping people. And then, yeah, just coming here was a blessing to me.”

Seeing the Impact First-Hand

Being on the ground helped Jennifer connect everything she had been working toward. “Just being able to put faces to the numbers. You see, there's 11,000 pieces of clothing given out in a month, and you see many people benefiting from that. So, actually seeing the faces behind the project has been amazing.”

When asked about the most meaningful moment so far, she doesn’t hesitate. “I think just putting faces to the numbers that get published each month and physically being able to help people with simple but fundamental things like clothing. And also, I think just really getting to know the volunteers here has been impactful to me just because they've been so passionate.”

Advice for Future Supporters

Jennifer is clear when asked what she would say to someone thinking about getting involved. “If you are thinking about supporting an organization that you know all the money is going to help the people, they say they are helping, then 100% Samos Volunteers. It's a grassroots NGO, so it's small enough that all the money is going directly to programs, facilities, and activities.”

She acknowledges that committing to two months might seem intimidating. “The two months go by so quick and yeah, I would 100% recommend it, 100%.”

A Personal Journey of Growth

Fundraising and volunteering have been transformative experiences for Jennifer—personally and professionally. “I learned a lot about Instagram, putting myself out there, putting posts, which is important because people want to help, and they can't help if they don't know.”

“And I’ve been inspired by the people that are here,” she adds. “Like the young people who are choosing to volunteer and making a difference.”

Written by Gaia Polidori, Communications Officer