Campus News

UK Responds to Tragedy in Haiti

LEXINGTON, KY (Jan. 15, 2010) – In a message to the University of Kentucky community, President Lee T. Todd Jr. wrote:

By now you have heard about the powerful earthquake that struck Haiti, killing tens of thousands and ravaging the infrastructure of that nation. This unspeakable tragedy has left nearly three million people in need of aid, according to current media reports.

Ours is a geographically diverse community – UK students, faculty, and staff hail from every state in the United States and scores of countries around the world, including students from Haiti. We feel a palpable sadness as many of our friends and colleagues across campus are experiencing profound grief. On behalf of the University community, I extend my deepest sympathies to all those students, faculty, and staff who are mourning the loss of loved ones or anxiously awaiting news from loved ones in Haiti.

As always, our Counseling and Testing Center is available to assist those among us who need help coping with tragedies and personal issues. Students, faculty, and staff seeking counseling are urged to call the Counseling and Testing Center (257-8701) to speak to the on-duty psychologist. I also ask faculty and staff to be especially mindful and supportive of the students who attend their classes and visit their offices.

Faced with the suffering of its own, a caring community must respond. And we have many throughout our campus community who have expressed the desire to financially help our friends in Haiti. Student Government and our Center for Community Outreach are coordinating relief projects here on campus. They will be collecting cash donations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19, and Wednesday, Jan. 20, at various locations around campus. For more information about UK’s relief efforts, please contact the Center for Student Involvement at 257-1109 or e-mail STAG.cco@gmail.com.

Financial support for the relief effort can be made by contacting one of the following organizations, suggested by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities: 

Action Against Hunger: http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/where-we-work/haiti
American Red Cross:  
http://www.redcross.org/
Beyond Borders:
http://www.beyondborders.net/index.php
CARE:
http://www.care.org/
Direct Relief International:
http://www.directrelief.org/EmergencyResponse/2010/EarthquakeHaiti.aspx
Doctors Without Borders:
http://doctorswithoutborders.org/
HED:
www.hedprogram.org/
International Medical Corps:
https://www.imcworldwide.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=878
International Relief Teams:
http://www.irteams.org/index.htm
Meds and Food for Kids:
http://mfkhaiti.org/
Mercy Corps:
http://www.mercycorps.org/
Operation USA:
http://www.opusa.org/featured/news-release-operation-usa-prepares-emergency-aid-in-response-to-earthquakes-in-haiti/
Oxfam America:
https://secure.oxfamamerica.org/site/Donation2?df_id=3560&3560.donation=form1
Partners in Health:
http://www.pih.org/home.html
Save the Children:
http://www.savethechildren.org/
Stop Hunger Now:
https://secure3.convio.net/shn1/site/Donation2?1420.donation=form1&df_id=1420&JServSessionIdr004=dz2m7yil82.app305a
UNICEF:
www.secure.unicefusa.org/site/Donation2
World Concern:
http://www.worldconcern.org/haiti-earthquake/
Yele Haiti:
www.yele.org/

Times like these remind us just how connected the University of Kentucky is to the world community. I hope you join me in keeping all of those affected by this tragedy in your thoughts and prayers.

Lee T. Todd, Jr.

President