SA store opens with offer to donate funds to Indigenous Initiatives.

Get Student Association (SA) swag from the newly opened store.

Earlier this month, the SA store – previously the Casa Loma campus bookstore – started selling merchandise such as SA apparel, bottles, mugs and more to students.

However, the store is not just focused on selling, it is also about educating and giving.

The SA has signed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Accord, which is a commitment that learning institutions are making to do more. This means that the association is required to prioritize certain goals.

In accordance with Goal 10: Reduced inequalities, the SA has partnered with Indigenous Initiatives of George Brown College (GBC) to help support them with the proceeds from the new SA store.

The SA will add $2 to every student’s purchase, up to $1000, and donate the amount to Indigenous Initiatives for cultural events.

“We need to support our indigenous community and their representation. And not just what has happened in the past, but what are the positive and significant and important things which we need to learn from their culture, and how we can bring those in our life,” said Sri Krishna Rajan, director of communications and internal. “So that’s why we initiated that whatever we can earn from those sales will be shared with indigenous Initiatives.”

The proceeds will go to Indigenous Initiatives until the end of the 2022-2023 academic year.

The store is also a space for students to come and spend time in. It has seating and is an area to interact with one another and learn more about the SA services. Food, however, is not allowed in the space as it is just next to the cafeteria.

Lisa Zangerl, Indigenous student support specialist at Indigenous Initiatives said, “We are very grateful to receive this generous donation. This partnership signifies that the Student Association is committed to supporting Indigenous learners at the College. The SA has always been a strong proponent of our department and these funds will be used to increase the awareness and services that we offer to George Brown staff, faculty, and students.”

The store accepts card and cash payments and is currently located only at the Casa Loma campus.

“We are trying to motivate students to learn. We have these goodies which we want to share with the students, and we want them to learn about sustainability and the SDG goals and we also want them to learn about the ancient indigenous culture,” Rajan added.

The space will have information on the indigenous cultures and other facets of sustainable development.