Listed below are several programs St. John’s has offered since the disaster in Haiti and several more which are scheduled. There will undoubtedly be other efforts and we would ask all members of the University community to alert us to any new initiatives that we can publicize.

In the disaster’s ensuing hours, St. John’s reached out to our Haitian students, offering many hours of support and counseling. Two mailings were sent by the Office of Alumni Relations (with support from the Office of Campus Ministry) encouraging prayer, donations and participation in the efforts of Catholic Relief Services (CRS).

Prayer services – sponsored by the Office of Campus Ministry in conjunction with the Department of Student Life, the Office of Alumni Relations and the Haitian Society – took place on the Queens and Staten Island campuses on January 21. This remembrance continues to be a regular part of our campus prayer.

Since the earthquake, the Haitian Society, along with our Department of Student Life’s Division of Office of Multicultural Affairs, collected over 10,000 supplies and shipped 128 boxes and barrels of donations to Haiti.

In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, approximately 120 students from Queens and Staten Island organized a donation drive raising $6,644.15.

On January 29, the Office of Global Studies held a concert for peace where they raised funds for Haiti.

As the University celebrated “Black Heritage Month,” the needs of Haiti were kept in the forefront:

• The Haitian Society and Student Government, Inc. hosted a benefit dinner that raised funds for Yele, Wycleaf Jean’s relief organization.
• The Department of Student Life’s Division of Multicultural Affairs presented the “1,000 Socks and Shoes Drive for Haiti” on the Staten Island campus, an effort to obtain these vital supplies for children in Haiti. 
• The Haitian Society held a forum entitled “Culture From Below,” as a prelude fundraiser for the evening Academic Lecture Series program featuring Wyclef Jean.
• As part of the Academic Lecture Series, St. John’s welcomed Wyclef Jean to the Queens campus to discuss his relief organization, “Yele Haiti,” and his ongoing efforts to support the people of his native Haiti. During the event, sponsored by the Department of Student Life’s Division of Multicultural Affairs, students presented him with a $4,000 check for Yele.
• The Praise and Gospel Extravaganza Benefit Concert for Haiti, including local and tri-state choirs, praise teams, singers and musicians took place on the Staten Island campus.  The St. John's community and the Borough of Staten Island worked together to raise money for the people of Haiti, collecting more than $1,000. The event was sponsored by the Magnificat Gospel Choir, the Division of Multicultural Affairs, the Office of Campus Ministry, the Pan-African Caribbean Student Association, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. and the Campus Activities Board.
• Sinai’s Radiant Dance Ministry, Step Ya Game Up, and the NAACP held a Gospel conference on the Queens campus entitled “The Way We Praise,” raising funds for Haitian relief.
• The Soul, African, Caribbean Expo Food and Dessert Competition (SACE) was held on the Staten Island campus to benefit Haiti. This cooking competition challenged participants to cook the best Soul, African, or Caribbean food or dessert. All donations were given to Catholic Relief Services (CRS) for Haiti.
• During “Stand with Haiti,” held on the Queens campus, St. John’s panelists spoke about their experience in Haiti before and after the earthquake. Information on how to offer financial assistance was provided.
• The Department of Student Life held two forums: one discussed the relationship between Haitians and Dominicans and the other featured lectures discussing best practices for relief efforts in Haiti.

On the Oakdale Campus, the “Haiti Needs our Help” program collected a significant number of supplies for infants in the devastated country. 

The Manhattan Campus held a blood drive on behalf of Haiti and students organized a pot luck supper which also raised funds for Haiti.

On the Rome campus, Daphné Pierre, a Graduate Assistant and member of the Global Scholars of St. Vincent de Paul (an outgrowth of the Vincentian Institute for Social Action), organized a drive to collect supplies on behalf of Haiti.

The St. John’s Chapter of the Ladies of Charity collected $6,000 for the rebuilding of the Daughters of Charity mission and school in Port-au-Prince.

Andi Licari, Ph.D., Professor of Marketing and Management in the College of Professional Studies, instructed her Introduction to Marketing students to prepare a marketing campaign targeting the University and surrounding communities to increase awareness of Haiti’s plight and to raise funds for the nation. All cash donations will be sent to Catholic Relief Services. The campaign will culminate during the annual Walk for the Homeless on April 2.

The following efforts are planned for the near future:

• The needs of the Haitian people continue to have a special place in our prayers and liturgy.
• Student organizations are currently working on an intermediate plan of action to drive the University’s relief efforts.
• During this year’s annual Walk for the Homeless, students will walk in solidarity with the victims of the earthquake and those left homeless by the devastation. The Haitian Student Association (HSA) is collaborating with the Office of Campus Ministry on this event with all proceeds going toward Haitian relief.
• In collaboration with the international Vincentian community, St. John’s will help rebuild Haiti’s infrastructure by offering ten one-year scholarships to Haitians who will come to New York for courses.
• St. John’s will sponsor a gathering of the Haitian Diaspora in New York for the purpose of establishing a microloan program through Fonkoze.  This will take place on April 24 in the D’Angelo Center and will be supported by the University’s Office of Mission and the Haitian Society.
• On the Staten Island campus, the Ozanam Film Festival, sponsored by the “Women in Theology” course, the Office of Academic Service-Learning and the Ozanam Scholars Program will feature two films focusing on Haiti. “Women, Water and the Developing World,” a film featuring student-led presentations on the spiritual dimension of water and women in Haiti, will be screened on Monday, March 22 at 3:00 p.m. “The Road to Fwonda,” a film about a Haitian community poised to change the future of their country one university student at a time, will be shown at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 24. Both films will be shown in the Ganz Conference Room in Flynn Hall.
• On the Staten Island campus, PACSA will host a program inviting the campus community to attend a discussion about Haiti before and after the disaster with an eye toward developing concrete solutions. It will be held in the Rathskellar at 6 p.m. Monday, April 27.

The St. John’s community remains committed to our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Even as media attention wanes, the needs of the people have not. They remain in our thoughts and prayers every day. St. John’s University is called through our Vincentian mission to be of service to those who suffer throughout the world, and we will continue our efforts on behalf of the Haitian people.