A student club at Syracuse University is selling Halloween costumes on campus to raise money for sustainable projects in impoverished countries.

The sale, hosted by the SU chapter of Nourish International, a national nonprofit organization, will be at Hendricks Chapel on Wednesday and Friday at J. Michael Shoes on Marshall Street, said Robyn Goldhar, SU’s Nourish International ventures director.

“We raise money through ventures to do developments in third-world countries over the summer,” Goldhar, who is also a senior fashion design major, said.

During the past month, SU’s Nourish International chapter has been actively campaigning to raise awareness for its first big venture, she added. The use of social media has helped spread the word, in addition to other methods, such as handing out candy in the Schine Student Center.

At the sale, students will be able to choose from a variety of products, ranging from accessories like bunny ears and fabric swatches to full costumes, said Ellen Moore, the SU chapter’s president.

Moore, a senior international relations and policy studies major, said the sale would be convenient for students because of the costumes’ low prices and its location on campus.

“It’s a great way to find cheap costumes,” said Jackie White, the SU chapter’s financial director. “When you go to the store to try and find a costume, it’s going to be $40.”

White, a senior biology and Spanish major, said students should attend the sale because the profits will go to a good cause and students will save money.

The costumes and accessories will all be less than $15, with some as little as $1, Goldhar, the ventures director, said.

The idea for the costume sale originated with the University of California, Los Angeles chapter of Nourish International, Goldhar said. Building on UCLA’s general thrift sale, the local chapter thought of selling Halloween costumes because of the timing, she added. Students in Greek life as well as members in the Syracuse community have donated costumes for the sale.

“We really like to reach out to the Syracuse community and try and get them in partnership with us, because it expands our reach and expands our resources,” she said.

Goldhar is also working with J. Michael Shoes to continue the sale outside of its Marshall Street storefront on Friday.  The SU chapter asked J. Michael to participate due to the store’s history of involvement with SU charity projects, she said.

Right now, the organization is focusing on the sale, since they are still determining where the money will go, Moore, the club’s president, said. She added that a partner will be chosen within the upcoming weeks.

Said Moore: “We’re making it easy. We’re bringing it to [students], it’s pretty cheap and it goes to a really good cause.”

Published on October 16, 2013 at 12:25 am

Contact Zach: zdschwei@syr.edu