The Resident Hall Association (RHA) held its first charity auction since before the COVID-19 pandemic on April 18. The event raised over $5,500 in support of Women In Need (WIN) NYC, the largest provider of family shelter and supportive housing in New York City, according to Dylan Vilela, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center ’26 and head of corporate outreach for the auction.
The $5,500 fundraising total surpassed the organizers’ goal of $5,000. The funds were raised through the auctioning of a variety of donated prizes for experiences around New York City, including a one-night stay at The Ritz-Carlton hotel, tickets to Broadway musical SIX and Lempicka, and workout class memberships.
Amid the abundance of high-value experiences around New York City, though, the highest amount was bid for guaranteed assignment to a recently renovated apartment in McMahon Hall. The apartment features two bedrooms and two bathrooms alongside a recently renovated kitchen. Kayla Thomas, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’27, won it for a hefty $1,135 price tag.
The auction, according to a post on RHA’s Instagram account, aimed to raise $5,000 for WIN NYC to support “shelter, housing, and beneficial programs for women in need and their families across all five boroughs.”
WIN NYC’s website specifies that it relies heavily on donations and community support to fulfill its mission of “transform(ing) the lives of New York City homeless families by providing holistic solutions of safe housing, critical services, and ground-breaking programs they need to succeed on their own– so these families can regain their independence and their children can look forward to a brighter future.”
WIN will utilize the proceeds from the RHA auction to provide essential services and assistance to those facing homelessness and similar hardships in the New York City area.
RHA’s previous auction was held in 2019, prior to the cancelation of the planned April 2020 event due to all university functioning becoming remote amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
“There were pressures at times because of the successful history of this event as well as this being the first auction after a bit of a hiatus,” RHA secretary Ada Holmes, FCLC ’26, said.
“We brought together the Fordham community before, during, and after this process.” Ada Holmes, FCLC ’26
In addition to raising money for WIN NYC, representatives for RHA noted their desire to bring students together while reintroducing the event to the community.
“Our aim was to unite the Fordham community and revive this long standing tradition,” RHA president Paulina Delabra Serrano, FCLC ’26, said.
According to both Serrano and Holmes, the auction exceeded its fundraising goals for WIN. They commented that one of the great successes of the event was how it was able to strengthen the community’s bond.
“We brought together the Fordham community before, during, and after this process,” Holmes said.
Holmes affirmed the administration of Fordham Lincoln Center’s commitment to upholding the tradition of philanthropy through the RHA charity auction.
“We absolutely plan to continue this annual tradition here at Fordham Lincoln Center,” Holmes said, emphasizing the significance of the event.
Holmes noted that this year’s success is intended to be merely a preview of the promising future that lies ahead. This sentiment encapsulates RHA’s goals of fostering a culture of giving and community engagement on campus, with this charitable auction signifying the organization’s mission of making a difference in the lives of others.