Students present Geoff Smith (far right) with a cheque of $2,400 which goes to charity.
photo by greg coyle

A group of 14 hospitality management students helped raise $2,400 for the United Way by hosting a dinner in the Humber Room last Thursday.
More than 30 guests attended the event, called Providing Shelter to the Unsheltered. Following a short video showcasing the United Way’s work, Humber grad and United Way Chair Kay Blair spoke about the importance of helping immigrants and youth in Toronto.
“Unless you invest in young people, our future is quite bleak,” Blair said, pointing out that Toronto’s poverty rate is the highest in Canada.
Geoff Smith, another United Way representative at the event, said Toronto needs to address the growing demand for jobs.
“I think a big thing is that Toronto is pretty much the heartbeat of Canada,” Smith said.
“A lot of people come here for jobs, especially newcomers. There’s so many people coming to Toronto right now, it’s growing so fast, that I feel like the job market may not be strong enough or big enough to support it as of now.”
Following the dinner of chicken, potatoes, and chocolate mousse, the students handed Smith a cheque for $2,400, which included the $45 ticket sales and profits from a silent auction. Smith was overwhelmed by the success of the night.
“I think the students did an excellent job putting everything together,” Smith said.
“It really was beyond my expectations. I thought it was going to be a small dinner, but I feel like the crowd that they actually brought in was great. It brought awareness of the United Way and raised quite a bit of money. It’s unbelievable.”
The dinner ticket included a raffle with prizes such as one night at any Extended Stay Hotel and four gift certificates for a meal at the Humber Room. The silent auction featured jewelry sets and several books, which were donated by Health Sciences Associate Dean John Sousa. One of the winners, Ji-Myoung Park, enjoyed the evening.
“I find the atmosphere is very ambient, people dressed very well,” said Park, a first-year culinary skills student. “I’m enjoying the presentation of the food, just the whole atmosphere of the Humber Room is very appropriate for an occasion like this. I’m also feeding off the enjoyment of others.
“It is a privilege to be able to help other people in need in whatever way possible,” Park added. “It’s very meaningful and it’s a joy to be able to help the United Way.”
The event was funded by HSF and the School of Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism.
Vernan Ratnasothy, a second-year hospitality management student and one of the organizers, said he feels it was fantastic training for his future career.
“This is what we’re going to do in our future, planning events and parties,” Ratnasothy said. “We’re learning how to control, how to manage events. Each of us had a responsibility because it’s like real-life training. There was 14 of us, and we all had to work together to get it going, it was interesting.”
He said the students chose the United Way as the benefactor because of its strong commitment to the community.
“This makes people more aware about what’s going on in the neighbourhoods,” he said. “United Way supports the neighbourhoods and people who need help. I would say this event helps to bring more awareness of their environment and the community.”