Time to Fundraise: DIY with Style! (by Guest Blogger Mel Gorka!)

Today you’re hearing from Mel Gorka, another girl that rocks the social media world. We studied together at the University of Toronto and now Mel is an online guru…check Lady Atelier, a street beauty blog, which Mel is working on now! Without further ado, here’s Mel!

Feel like doing something fun and a little bit different for girls?

I recently came across a couple of pretty cool fashion initiatives out there that are trying to help change the world!

The Uniform Project

Sheena Matheiken was getting frustrated working in advertising and not making much of an impact on her world. In May 2009 she decided to take action “with fashion as her medium and education her cause.” The end result? She launched The Uniform Project. For 365 days she wore the same little black dress as an excersise in sustainability and as a fundraiser. Her daily photographic journal and blog of the dress being worn in many different ways reached a global audience and attracted a lot of media buzz. But more importantly she raised over $100 000 dollars in donations. Because Sheena had so much success she has just launched Year 2 of the Uniform Pilot Project. Each month for the next year you can Do the Uniform Project yourself. Pick a dress and wear it for 30 days but making it different each day with something reused, nothing new. Raise money for your cause and be creative! By taking a daily photo journal this pilot project shows your journey and also interacts with the Uniform Project Audience. Fashion, Sustainability and Fundraising! What a great mix.

Rock Your Cause

If you want to try something a little more local but just as creative, why not check out Rock Your Cause™ a local initiative that creates fashionable and ethical apparel for you to sell for your cause. Create your own fashion line for your cause! The idea of Rock Your Cause™ has grown from a small fundraising initiative with t-shirts sold to family and friends, into a fundraising phenomenon with student sales reps selling an entire line of Rock Your Cause™ apparel at high schools and universities across North America. This initiative was started in Toronto in 2008 and has quickly grown much larger.

Wear Because I am a Girl

You’ve seen them on Jenn Heil and lots of girls on this blog. The Because I am a Girl t-shirts make a statement about girls, and look great in either hot pink or black. Rumor has it that Because I am a Girl blogger Kate Jongbloed is wearing hers across the country as we speak! If you need to get your own, check them out here.