The Acadia University community deserves a great big “Thank You” this Thank You Thursday.

The Acadia spirit was shining brightly on Tuesday, November 28, 2017, also known as Giving Tuesday, a global giving movement. In just 24 hours, Acadia supporters donated nearly $7,000 in support of the Sensory Motor Instructional Leadership Experience (S.M.I.L.E.) program during a campaign called #AcadiaUGives.

The campaign surpassed its goals to raise $3,000 and get 1,500 views of a video that tells the S.M.I.L.E. story – more than doubling both. Also, S.M.I.L.E. volunteers handed out 1,000 S.M.I.L.E. cookies to raise awareness and thank the community for its support. 

“We are so thankful for the generosity of the Acadia family and our partners,” says Dr. Roxanne Seaman, director of the program. “S.M.I.L.E. is an incredible place to share abilities and learn from one another! I'm thankful for the hundreds –  thousands now – of volunteers and participants who share their compassion, energy, time, and enthusiasm in physical activity settings while developing lifelong friends.”

For more than 35 years, Acadia students have given back to the community by volunteering countless hours to help children, youth, and adults with disabilities. The focus is on developing abilities while having fun and making friends. Currently, there are 275 community participants and 465 student-volunteers in S.M.I.L.E. The program is offered free of charge to participants. 

“Sometimes, people forget that programs like S.M.I.L.E. rely on the generosity of donors,” says Nancy Handrigan, Executive Director of Philanthropy in Acadia’s Office of Advancement. “Giving Tuesday was an ideal time to highlight the S.M.I.L.E. story and remind our community the genuine impact their generosity has on so many. It makes me thankful every day, not just on Thank You Thursday.”

Acadia’s food service provider, Chartwells, joined the #AcadiaUGives campaign as a partner and Bounty Print provided materials to promote the 24-hour event, which Acadia’s Office of Advancement supported.

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Click to learn more about S.M.I.L.E. or to donate to the program.