Viterbo raises money for Haiti earthquake relief

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the most populated area of Haiti, 16 miles west of the capital city of Port-au-Prince, on Jan. 12, with over three million people being affected as estimated by the International Red Cross. The United States Geological Survey recorded 33 after shocks, 14 of which were between the magnitudes of 5.0 to 5.9.

Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, with over 80 percent of its people living under the poverty line. The Catholic Relief Services estimated 2 million Haitians live on land they do not own as squatters. After the Jan. 12 hurricane, the number would increase as over one million people were left homeless. 

Causality counts increase daily, with an estimated of over 200,000 people. However, Haitians cries for help were not left unheard. Humanitarian relief answers came from the International Red Cross, Salvation Army and United Nations. 

Even Viterbo has answered the call. Campus Ministry, the Communications Office and Institutional Advancement Office of Viterbo started relief efforts for the people of Haiti on Jan. 18, Pat Andera, Viterbo campus minister, told Lumen. 

The Communications Office and Institutional Advancement have worked together to send envelopes to Viterbo faculty members to collect donations to be given to Catholic Relief Services in Haiti. 

Campus Ministry has also set out money-collection buckets in Franny’s, Crossroads, and the Viterbo café for students to donate loose change for the Haiti Catholic Relief Services, Andera said. 

As of Jan. 20, over $1,600 had been collected from faculty and student donations.

Andera said as a student in college he wouldn’t have known how to get involved and help an international relief program.

“I wanted to help provide students an outlet to give,” Andera said. “However big or small, even if a student donates 50 cents, it still goes to a good cause.” 

Campus Ministry has also taken an additional collection for the Haiti relief effort during Sunday mass at San Damiano on Jan. 17 and Jan. 24. 

During the Jan. 21 Viterbo men’s and women’s basketball games versus Clark College, Campus Ministry sent collection baskets through the fan sections, hoping to target the parents of students not on campus, Andera said. $246 was collected during the two games. 

“Students at Viterbo care about people,” Andera said. “The fundraising at Viterbo is a good way to reach out and help someone in a small way.”

The Haiti relief collection buckets in the Viterbo dining areas will be available for students to donate until Jan. 31.