Public Interest Auction

About the Public Interest Auction

Hosted by our Public Interest Center annually, the Public Interest Auction brings hundreds of students, faculty, alumni, and friends together to bid on a wonderful range of goods, services, and experiences. Auction proceeds support the Center's programs and initiatives, including our:

Summer Public Interest Fellowship Program
Spring Break Service Program
Center Fellows Program
Pro bono programming

With this vital support, St. John's Law students build practical knowledge and skills hands on while giving back to their communities.

2026 Public Interest Auction

To mark the Law School’s100th anniversary, this year’s Public Interest Auction will celebrate Public Interest Through the Decades. Join us in person to honor a century of service and community impact and experience the excitement as you bid high and often for items on our silent and live auction blocks.

Date

Thursday, March 19, 2026

Time

6 p.m.

Location

St. John's Law, Cafeteria, Ground Floor
8000 Utopia Parkway
Queens, NY 11439

Support the Auction

You can support the 2026 Public Interest Auction in multiple ways:

Donate goods, services, or experiences

We welcome a range of donated goods, services, and experiences. To donate, please complete and submit a donation form.

Make a monetary gift

Every gift helps us meet our goal of supporting the Public Interest Center's programs and initiatives. Please make your gift online today!

Sponsor the event

Sponsoring the Public Interest Auction is a wonderful way to support this important fundraiser. To learn more and become a sponsor, please visit our sponsorship page.

Bid high and often

Join us and bid for a great cause! Head over to the 2026 Public Interest Auction website and purchase your tickets when they go on sale in February 2026. That's also where you'll be able to preview the amazing goods, services, and experiences that will be up for bid.

Thank You!

Thank you for supporting the 2026 Public Interest Auction. Your generosity will make a world of difference to St. John’s Law students as they engage in public interest work and activities that promote social justice and serve the public good.

Donations to the Public Interest Auction are tax deductible. Please see the accordion section below for additional tax deduction information.

More Information

No Donation is Too Small!

We mix and match small items to create wonderful, themed baskets. Here’s just a sampling of popular donations:

Theater, concert, and sporting event tickets  
Vacation home and resort packages 
Golf outings at premier courses 
Streaming service, meal kit, Amazon Prime, and other subscriptions  
Personal and home electronics 
Wine and spirits 
Fine jewelry  
Artwork and home décor

Ready to Donate?

Friends and supporters can complete and submit a donation form. If you have any questions about your donation, please email Public Interest Center Fellow Samantha Grenard at [email protected].

Monetary Donations & Sponsorships

If you donate money to support the Auction, St. John’s University will give you a gift/tax receipt for your monetary donation. This also applies to sponsorships, as long as you don’t receive anything in return for sponsoring the Auction.

Non-Monetary Donations

If you make a non-monetary (in-kind) donation to the Auction—goods, services, or experiences to auction off—please email Public Interest Center Director Jeanne Ortiz-Ortiz at [email protected] for a tax receipt.

Auction Item Wins

If you win an auction item and pay more for it than its fair market value, St. John’s University will give you a gift/tax receipt for the difference.

The IRS recognizes St. John’s University (Tax ID 11-1630830) as a Section 501(c)3 nonprofit. Your payment above the fair market value (FMV) is a gift and may qualify as a charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes.