In November, UBC launched a new fund to support student wellbeing initiatives by inviting alumni, faculty, staff and friends to make a $10 donation. To celebrate this new fund and to show support for our students at exam time, UBC hosted a breakfast for students at the Life Building, on Friday, November 22.

The UBC community responded in typically generous fashion, with 507 donors giving over $14,000 to support the fund. Every dollar of the money raised will go toward the newly established UBC Student Wellbeing Fund, to support projects that address issues such as mental health, financial hardship and food insecurity.

The breakfast was a unique opportunity to generate support for — and awareness of — student wellbeing, as well as to connect students with our community of alumni and donors. As students head into exam season, it was an opportunity to give them a boost, to help them start their day off right and let them know the UBC community supports them.

Over 500 students attended the breakfast. The atmosphere was fantastic and the students were so grateful for the surprise food. Alex, a student in the Faculty of Education who attended the breakfast, said “It’s great to know that alumni and donors are doing this for students. It makes me feel proud to be at UBC.”