 | Red Cross worker Jennifer Perrault works with donor Lauren Simpson '06 at the blood drive held Sept. 9 in Payne Whitney Gymnasium. |
When news reached campus of the flooding and devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf region, the Yale community responded with an outpouring of concern that has included drives to raise funds and much-needed donations, offers of aid to students and academics from affected institutions in the area, support for displaced families, and prayers for victims of the catastrophe.
Yale has launched a website -- www.yale.edu/katrina -- to provide information about campus efforts to aid those in need and about other ways to support recovery efforts.
"The catastrophic loss of life caused by Hurricane Katrina and the harrowing physical and emotional ordeal suffered by the storm's survivors have shocked and saddened all of us," said President Richard C. Levin in a letter to the Yale community. "Even as we hope for the consolation of those who have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods, many in our community are hastening to provide what assistance they can to the survivors of this tragedy."
Noting the many relief efforts already underway on campus, Levin added, "As the semester goes on, I am confident that the creativity of this community will be directed toward finding as yet unimagined ways to be helpful. ... Yale has long been a community of concern, taking special care of those within its walls. Now is a time to turn outward, to reflect upon our common humanity, and to reach out with compassion. It is a time for generosity of spirit. I thank you for all that you are doing, and all that you will do, to help those in need."
In his letter, Levin also announced that contributions up to $100 made by Yale employees and students will be matched by personal contributions from the University officers, deans and Yale Corporation fellows. (See related story, this page.)
"The seven officers of the University have contributed $70,000, and the deans and fellows have added sufficient funds to ensure that all student, faculty and staff contributions will be matched," said Levin. "I urge everyone to join in this expression of community support for the victims of this tragedy."
Other past and upcoming campus relief efforts include:
* Faculty and students from the School of Music presented a benefit concert titled "Help Can't Wait" on Sept. 8 at Woolsey Hall. The $8,2000 raised at the performance will go to the major charities providing services to the victims of the hurricane.
* The Yale chapter of the American Red Cross held its "Blood Drive for Hurricane Stricken Areas" on Sept. 9 at the Payne Whitney Gymnasium. There were 61 units of blood collected at the drive, exceeding the Red Cross' goal of 50 units. The Red Cross also co-sponsored with the Yale College Council a benefit dinner and a capella concert at Battell Chapel that evening.
* Whim 'n' Rhythm, Tangled Up in Blue and A Different Drum were just a few of the many Yale music groups that donated their talents to the Hurricane Relief Open Mic "No One Is Expendable" at Dwight Hall on Sept. 6. All proceeds went to the NAACP Disaster Relief Fund.
* The Yale Divinity School held a drive Sept. 5-8 to collect clothing for the thousands of Katrina evacuees who have been sent to board at Camp Edwards in Bourne, Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
* Through "Comfort for the Smallest Victims," a drive organized by the School of Drama's Business Office and the Controller's Office, three carloads of new and gently used stuffed animals were collected for distribution to children in shelters in Texas and Louisiana.
* Yale Engineering collected cases of bottled water the week of Sept. 6 to send to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
* Through the Yale Collective Relief Fund: Hurricane Katrina, contributions were collected at every University dining hall Sept. 3-9, with proceeds going to the Red Cross.
* Students at the School of Medicine have organized several fundraising efforts, including collection boxes for donations, a dinner/concert to raise money and silicone bracelet sales.
* The University Chaplain's Office will give its Sunday offering once a month throughout the year to Katrina relief.
* The Student National Medical Association at Yale will hold a benefit jazz concert on Friday, Sept. 16, at a time and place to be announced. Proceeds will be donated to the Second Harvest Katrina Relief Fund. See www.yale.edu/katrina for details.
* The Afro-American Cultural Center (AACC) is sponsoring a "Spoken Word Benefit Performance" at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, at a location to be announced. The event will feature Yale graduate, undergraduate and nationally known poets, as well as performances by several of the AACC's groups, including Shades, the Yale Gospel Choir, Steppin' Out and Konjo! For information, see www.yale.edu/katrina. Proceeds from this event, the AACC's "Classically Black" classical music recital on Oct. 8, and its annual barbeque dance party and brunch on Sept. 10 will be donated to the NAACP Disaster Relief Fund.
* A drive is now underway to collect the cardboard boxes needed by the New Haven Armory for shipping donations to the Gulf region. A collection point has been established in the first-floor conference room at 221 Whitney Ave. Clean, dry and unflattended boxes of all shapes and sizes are needed. For further information on this drive and other items needed, contact Susan Abramson at (203) 432-8069.
Yale is also offering assistance to those at the universities and colleges that have been flooded or damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
Yale College has admitted approximately 25 students from the affected schools. Tuition will be waived for all the students and their credits earned will transfer back to their institutions. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Law School and the Schools of Management, Nursing and Drama are also accommodating dislocated students under special arrangements. The School of Medicine is accepting Tulane University medical students who need placement in clinical rotations. Many faculty and staff members at the medical school have also offered to house displaced students.
In addition, the University is providing library access and, where possible, office and laboratory space for displaced faculty scholars who have family nearby or research collaborators at Yale.
The University is supporting the New Haven Katrina Relief effort to bring 100 dislocated Gulf families to the area to rebuild their lives.
School of Medicine faculty members will provide medical care for the families, and other schools and departments are putting together plans to assist the individuals. Specific initiatives will be announced as they are finalized.
The City of New Haven is developing a list of individuals who are interested in volunteering their time or expertise, opening their homes, or providing housing for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Interested individuals should call (203) 946-7669 or send an e-mail to the following: contributions of time/expertise, volunteer@nhc.net; opening a home to Katrina victims, openhome@nhc.net; providing an apartment or housing, housing@nhc.net.
In addition, some members of the School of Medicine have traveled to the Gulf area to provide medical assistance to the thousands of displaced individuals in the region's shelters.
Members of the Yale community have also gathered to reflect on the consequences of the disaster and to offer their prayers for those who have lost their homes and their lives to Hurricane Katrina.
Individuals expressed both their despair and concern over both the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe and their lingering pain over the 9/11 terrorist attacks of 2001 at two events -- a Service of Healing held on Sept. 7 in the Divinity School's Marquand Chapel and a Candlelight Vigil held on Beinecke Plaza on Sept. 11 co-sponsored by the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Chaplain's Office and the AACC.
In addition, during the week following Hurricane Katrina, those attending the Divinity School's ecumenical worship services responded to the disaster "in prayer, song and symbolic action," according to Siobhan Garrigan, assistant professor of liturgical studies and assistant dean of the chapel at the Divinity School.
"We have spoken our anger, cried our grief, sung our demands for justice, and prayed hard for consolation and guidance," said Garrigan. "We have lit candles to try to kindle some hope and read poems to try to make sense of our place in such senselessness. We have remembered the dead, prayed for the suffering and called on God to show a path to a future in which we do not let this happen again."
T H I S
Yale community extends helping hand
to the victims of Hurricane Katrina
The School of Drama and the Controller's Office collected carloads of stuffed animals to send to the children in shelters in the Gulf states.
Fund and donation drives
Aid to universities and colleges
Divinity School student Jane Eppley helps carry out the bags of clothing collected by the community there.
Help for displaced families
Prayer vigils
W E E K ' SS T O R I E S
University greets its newest freshmen
Freshman Address by President Richard C. Levin
Freshman Address by Yale College Dean Peter Salovey
New dean to promote 'values' seminars at SOM
Scientists correct key error in measurement of global warming
ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIPS
Joel Podolny named Beinecke Professor of Management
Emilie Townes is appointed to Andrew Mellon Professorship
Thomas Troeger is designated as the Cox Lantz ProfessorGrant to support research into reducing pain of pediatric surgery
Invitation to Yale community: Meet the new World Fellows
University celebrates Sterling Library's 75th anniversary
Conference will focus on role of religion in public life
Yale engages in special community projects during 'Days of Caring'
Yale hockey star Helen Resor is picked for U.S. Women's National Team
Descendents of John Davenport to converge on campus
The Cinema at Whitney, a new film society, begins weekly screenings
Heart-attack patients seeking after-hours care . . .
While You Were Away: The Summer's Top Stories Revisited
Cell biologist named Bayer Fellow
IN MEMORIAM
Abraham Goldstein, former dean and criminal law scholar
John-Michael Montias, economist and expert on Vermeer
Drama school hosts a memorial tribute to . . . Benjamin MordecaiCampus Notes
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