An NIU student management group has been lending a helping hand lately both at home and abroad.

The Financial Management Association is selling raffle tickets that will in part benefit Safe Passage, a shelter for battered women and children in the local area. Half of the profits will go to Safe Passage, and the other half will be used by FMA for organizational costs.

The raffle includes such prizes as a 13-inch color television, a tour of Chicago in an airplane, a General Electric answering machine telephone and donations from over 50 area merchants.

In addition to this project, FMA has utilized Jewel Food Stores’ Shop-n-Share program to raise money for their organization and to send care packages to U.S. troops in the Middle East.

Members of the university and local community were able to return the Shop-n-Share certificates when they shopped at any Jewel from Feb. 25 to 27. Jewel will give five percent of the total from the certificates to FMA.

Fifty percent of this will be used by FMA to purchase such things as lip balm, candy and gum to mail to troops in the Gulf.

“It’s good that the fundraisers help other causes and not just FMA,” said finance major Wendy Andrysiak, 21. Andrysiak is vice president of finance for FMA.