While this time of year is often filled with holiday cheer and an overall feeling of gratitude, it is also marked by many as a time for generosity and giving.

As part of a highly socially conscious generation, many students have the desire to support social causes important to them, and do so in different ways, often through educating themselves on various causes, volunteering their time, or posting on social media. But as many students continue to grapple with a challenging economic environment, it’s not always easy to financially support the causes they care about.

Enter the RBC Get/Give campaign, which offers students not only a cash incentive for themselves when they open an RBC student banking account, but also the option to select a charity for RBC Future Launch to make a matching donation on their behalf.

“Students shared their passion with us about wanting to make a difference. We came up with a way for them to donate funds to support causes that are meaningful to them. They have seized that opportunity and are doing so much good in the community through their donations. And we are thrilled that we get to contribute to causes that students truly care about.” Sonia Whiteson, Vice-President, Marketing, Banking, Digital, Youth & New Clients, RBC

Who’s benefitting?

The participation of young Canadians in the past two campaigns resulted in more than $1 million donated by RBC.

Each year, RBC provides a variety of charities to choose from focused on a wide range of different causes. This year’s campaign (running from November 1 to January 31) includes the Canadian Mental Health Association, Black Health Alliance, Canadian Red Cross, NPower Canada, March of Dimes Canada, Indus Community Services, Kids Help Phone and AquaAction.

“Having all these choices to direct their donations toward means a lot to the students who come in to see me here on campus,” says Ilona Lupa, an Assistant Branch Manager at RBC’s OnCampus location at York University in Toronto. “Being able to give back is such a good feeling — especially for students who don’t have much, if any, spare cash to donate to causes that matter to them. And our team feels good too, because we’re helping students make this happen.”

Ilona Lupa

Ilona Lupa: “Being able to give back is such a good feeling, especially for students who don’t have much cash to spare.”

What one charity is saying about the power of Get/Give

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) continues to be a top choice for student-directed donations.

The CMHA offers a range of mental health programs, services, supports and expertise in more than 330 communities across Canada. A key focus resonates with students: 84% of CMHA’s locations offer programs and support designed specifically for young people.

Margaret Eaton (centre)

Margaret Eaton (centre): “To see students directing donations from RBC’s Get/Give campaign our way is so inspiring.”

“When a young person is struggling, having the support they need can change – and even save – that person’s life. The need for this support is greater now than it’s ever been,” says Margaret Eaton, CMHA’s National CEO. “To see students directing Get/Give donations our way is so inspiring to our teams because it means we can help more young people to not just survive, but to really feel well and thrive.”

RBC Future Launch is RBC’s commitment to empowering Canadian youth (15 – 29) for the jobs of tomorrow. With $500 million dedicated to helping young people access meaningful employment, RBC Future Launch provides support across four main pillars: gaining new skills, growing their network, getting work experience, and enhancing their mental well being.

To learn more, visit this year’s Get/Give page at www.rbc.com/get100give100

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