La Salle Helps Haiti

By Liz Wagner
Collegian Editor

La Salle students, faculty and staff are spearheading a joint fundraising effort with organizations across campus for Haiti relief.

Br. Bob Kinzler is leading the POINT and other student groups to fundraise for the relief effort through Catholic Relief Services, an international, faith-based organization known for its efficiency in distributing donations responsibly.

The country was devastated near its capital of Port-au-Prince by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake Jan. 12. Though there has since been an influx of aid from around the world, the country is still in chaos.

Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students James E. Moore saw the La Salle community rise to the need of Haiti almost immediately. Within the week following the earthquake, a number of faculty and staff approached the university administration to talk about fundraising. Even members of the neighborhood around the school have asked how they can work with the university to donate.

“People are really motivated by altruism,” he said.

The university has established an account to hold donations via cash, gold card accounts, or checks, which can be made out to either La Salle University (with “Haiti” written in the “Memo” section) or Catholic Relief Services. Moore stressed the need for monetary donations, which can be distributed by the organization to where it is needed most. The donation of goods is trickier for the school because of shipping costs and technicalities.

As of Tuesday, over $600 has already been raised. “I’m very pleased with the initial response,” Moore said.

Moore also reminds La Salle that there will be an ongoing need in Haiti for some time.

“It’s important to look after each other,” he said. “We are very fortunate in this country. Times like this remind us to be cognizant when there is a need.”

Kinzler said that there are about 20 Christian Brothers in Haiti, historically Canadian Brothers and Brothers from the area. They run the diocesan schools at Isle de Tortuga and are mainly centered in Port-de-Paix, though four were at a novitiate, a home for Christian Brothers in training, in Port-au-Prince. The building only partially collapsed, and the Brothers are doing everything they can for the people of the city.

“They’ve taken a lot of people in,” Kinzler said.

Though all are fine, they witn the destruction firsthand and have relayed their images to the Christian Brothers around the world.

Letters from the Brothers detail the disorder and heartbreak and people wander the streets, hungry and wounded, searching for loved ones. Many are fleeing into Haiti’s countryside, where they feel safer, but where resources have historically been strained for years before the quake. The symbols of the country have been destroyed and businesses and any signs of commerce are closed or in disarray. The letters, from Brother Bernard Collignon, are signed “Remember Haiti.”

The Christian Brothers have now committed to open a school in Haiti. Kinzler sees this as an opportunity to create “some semblance of normalcy” for the children.

Meanwhile, La Salle’s University of Ministry and Service, headed by Kinzler, are encouraging creative ways to fundraise. Peer Ministers is in the process of organizing a fast retreat for students seeking to become more educated about Haiti. The UMAS executive board is also looking into some micro-financing projects for the country.

Kinzler reiterated Moore’s sentiments toward our duty as Americans, and as humans. “The people of Haiti are our brothers and sisters,” he said.

People from across campus have already started to donate money individually or with other, independent groups of students.

Last Saturday at the men’s basketball game against Charlotte, head coach John Giannini coached in his bare feet to raise awareness for the group Samaritan’s Feet, a non-profit group that distributes shoes to poverty-stricken areas around the world. The organization has worked with Haiti in the past and has now pledged to send 100,000 pairs of shoes to the country.

On Wednesday night, the sisters of sorority Delta Phi Epsilon met in the St. Bernard Hall lounge to collect donations that the group’s national chapter will ship to Haiti. Boxes of shampoo, detergent, deodorant and toothbrushes were collected from students around campus.

Tom Price, the senior communications manager for Catholic Relief Services, is excited about the money raised so far but knows that this is not a disaster that can be cleaned up anytime soon.

“We’ve had an amazing outpouring of support,” he said. Students from around the world have already jumped out of planes, wore outrageous hats and participated in fun runs to raise money and awareness for Haiti.

But this is only the beginning.

“It’s cash that’s needed now,” Price said. Catholic Relief Services has already raised $22.6 million of its original $25 million pledge for the disaster relief effort, and plans to increase that number.

Price cited the dynamism of college students as a major illustration of the kind of people needed for this cause. “Students serve as an example toward more cynical, jaded people,” he said.

Kinzler is optimistic that the La Salle community will rally together around Haiti. “It really doesn’t have the resources to help itself,” he said. “If we don’t help, who will?”