Students come together for Haiti relief

By Hayley Burgess
News Editorr
January 28, 2010

The devastation in Haiti is not as far away as some people may think. The earthquake that devastated the country has hit close to home with some of the students at UNCP, who are now working on ways to provide relief for Haiti.

Carine Francois is one of those students. Francois has relatives in Haiti and currently has lost 21 members of her family. She is currently working on a clothing drive, along with the Office of Multicultural and Minority Affairs and other organizations on campus, called Hearts for Haiti that is accepting clothing and food donations through Feb. 15. Boxes are placed throughout the campus.

“When I heard about the earthquake, I was in total shock,” Francois said. “I hope that the students realize by giving either time/volunteering, clothes or food they are helping rebuild Haiti.”

The community and campus are holding various events to help Haiti. A yard sale was held Jan. 23 at Pembroke Pointe apartments in association with the Center for Leadership and Service, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Zeta Tau Alpha, Lumberton Ford, Lumbee Tribe Boys and Girls Club and The Commons to help raise money for relief efforts in Haiti.

The yard sale raised over $400 that went to Haiti Outreach Ministry to assist with fuel for water purification, food rations and tents.

“It’s important to mention that the campus as a whole contributed with their very generous donations,” Associate Director for Community Service Christina Poteet said. “We collected over 50 boxes of donations from the campus and community.”

The Office of Multicultural and Minority Affairs will also host a canned food and clothing drive and the Center for Leadership and Service will have another yard sale Jan. 30 at Pembroke Pointe from 7 a.m.-12 p.m. because of the surplus of items that were donated.

The Haiti relief effort comes after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck near the capital of Port-au- Prince Jan. 12 and left the country with an estimated 200,000 dead. Since the earthquake hit, Haiti has been experiencing aftershocks as people try to help with relief efforts.