Student-led non-profit initiative hosts free thrift event for those in need

Ross Sheppard High School students held their Givology event where they filled the school's gym with piles of donated items for families to take home for free.

Students from an Edmonton high school kept a non-profit charity initiative alive with a two-day event that provided free clothing and hygiene products to anyone who needs them.

Christina Daniel founded Ross Sheppard High School’s Givology in 2024 as a Grade 11 student after learning one of her peers had been facing homelessness.

“There was nothing that people would do for them, not even the district, because they had aged out of the system,” she told CTV News Edmonton on Saturday.

This spurred a charitable student-led movement that has grown today to fill the Ross Sheppard’s south gym with piles of donated items that students and their families can peruse and choose from for free on Friday and Saturday.

“You can’t just do this one time. You need to continuously give, continuously support the community,” she said.

In its first year, Daniel estimates the drive garnered around 5,000 clothing and hygiene products to be given back to the community. Now, between Edmontonians’ giving, sponsorships and grants Daniel has applied for, that number is at 10,000.

Daniel said she’s “pleasantly surprised” and is now able to not only give back to the students, but to organizations around the city like Hope Mission and the Mustard Seed.

There were 48 students helping to run the event on Saturday, and another 30 who helped in the month leading up to it, Daniel added. Each student amasses volunteer hours, and at 75 hours, is able to exchange them for three high school credits.

Daniel credits her volunteers and Edmonton being a “giving community” for the success of Givology.

“People are excited to come and understand that a sustainable and equitable way of shopping is here,” she said.

Now in Grade 12, Daniel is looking ahead to how Givology will live on post-graduation. Other schools have reached out to her to take up the cause, she said, and she has intentions of making Givology a bigger, more recognized non-profit.

“I want to take Givology with me,” she said. “Create it as a space not limited to schools I’m at.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Galen McDougall