All of Cornell’s a cappella groups will perform together to raise funds for Cornell employees in need of financial support on Feb. 24 in Call Auditorium.
The Emergency Cornellians Aiding and Responding to Employees Fund provides financial assistance to members of Cornell’s faculty and staff experiencing unexpected financial hardship due to medical complications, domestic violence, unexpected property damage, or other unforeseen circumstances.
This year the Fund’s board has put together A Cappella Cares, a benefit concert featuring all of Cornell’s singing groups where all proceeds go directly to the CARE Fund.
Danica Lee ’20 of Hearsay A Cappella, one of Cornell’s all-female groups, expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming concert. She said her group was “excited to showcase our group as part of Cornell’s vibrant a cappella scene while contributing to a meaningful cause.”
Beth McKinney, co-chair of the CARE Fund and director of wellness at Cornell, said preparation for the concert has been in the works since 2016, when the Fund pitched it to the A Cappella Advisory Counsel.
The then-president of ACAC, Colton Haney ’17, quickly accepted.
McKinney writes of the decision, “ACAC unanimously voted to collaborate, and we are now in our second year working with Liz Mueller, the current ACAC outgoing president.”
McKinney said she was delighted to see how both the Cornell and Ithaca communities have stepped up to support the CARE Fund in the last few months.
“The best part is the coming together of the Ithaca community, employees and their kids, and Cornell Students [sic] for an entertaining evening with these talented Cornellians,” she said.
The Emergency CARE Fund has also offered Cornell employees to deduct donations from their paychecks until March 6th as an easier way to participate in the fundraising.
The donations will automatically enter the employees into a lottery for either a weekend in New York City or a “staycation” in Ithaca, according to the CARE website. The Cornell Club, Cornell Transportation, Taverna Banfi and Ithaca’s William Henry Miller Inn all have donated their services for the prizes.
With the money raised, the program has the funds to provide transportation to NYC for medical treatment, temporary shelter and supplies for victims of domestic violence and support for families in the wake of property damage.
The CARE committee has been responsible for organizing auctions to raise money for employee financial hardship in recent years. In 2016, the fundraising committee raised over $5,000, selling 170 items in one night.
Tickets for the event are available online for $10 for adults, and $5 for children. Cornell students can attend for $8.