Passaic High School’s DECA chapter recently concluded a successful fundraising initiative, raising over $914 in support of Oasis, A Haven for Women and Children, located in Paterson, New Jersey. The campaign, which spanned November and December, featured two main events: Dress Down Days for faculty and staff and a raffle for a $100 Visa gift card and a $50 Visa gift card. Assistant Principal Reynaldo Acevedo emerged as the winner of the $100 gift card, while Paraprofessional Bryan Carter secured the $50 gift card.
This community service project, undertaken by PHS DECA, is part of a larger statewide NJ DECA initiative with the goal of raising a total of $30,000 for Oasis. Oasis, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to helping women and children rise out of poverty, providing essential services from its four-story building in Paterson, New Jersey, to families in the greater Paterson area.
Oasis offers a range of support, including food, clothing, counseling, educational classes for women, and after-school programs for children. The organization addresses the challenges faced by women and children living in poverty, advocating for equality and empowerment. Founded in 1997 by Ann Wagner and Christine DeVita Breit, Oasis began by serving hot meals to women with children in a Paterson church hall. Today, it stands as a prominent social service agency, serving approximately 1,000 women and children daily with basic needs services and educational programs.
The success of this community service project was a collective effort, involving the active participation of all DECA members. From creating promotional materials to selling dress down wristbands, selling raffle tickets, folding origami hearts for the “Guess how many hearts in the jar” raffle, to contributing to the creation of the gratitude banner featuring eggs decorated by donors to symbolize “filling the nest” in alignment with the Oasis mission every member played a crucial role in making this initiative a triumph. The funds raised by PHS DECA will contribute to the larger goal of supporting Oasis in their mission to uplift women and children in need.
