The CSA (Caribbean Students Association), HSA (Haitian Students Association) and various Student Councils have officially formed the There is Hope: Mission Haiti campaign in order to provide short-term and long-term help to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The new coalition will meet tonight at 8 in Earl Hall. Robert Taylor’s email detailing the initiative after the jump.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Robert Taylor <rt316@columbia.edu>
Date: Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 1:02 PM
Subject: Community Devevlopment Updates: Mission Haiti Meeting Tonight: 8 pm, Dodge Room Earl Hall; and IRC Applications
To: Multiple recipients <LISTSERV@cuvmc.ais.columbia.edu>

1) Haitian Relief Efforts at Columbia: There is Hope- Mission Haiti

The Caribbean Students Association (CSA) and the Haitian Students Association (HSA) would like to thank all members of the CU Community for expressing interest in uniting to launch a campus-wide relief effort at Columbia University to provide aide to those affected by the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti on Tuesday, January 12th.

We are grateful for the outpouring of ideas and plans of action that have been formulated, and mobilized in some cases by individuals, student groups, academic departments, faculty, and others in the past two weeks.

HSA and CSA have been working diligently this week with the Student Councils and members of Columbia University administration to form a coalition that will be comprised of teams focusing on medical aide, food and clothing, volunteering and traveling, and more. This coalition has taken on the name, There is Hope: Mission Haiti, under the canopy of the There is Hope Campaign.

The main objective of the mission is to unify the Columbia University community in bringing together short-term aid for earthquake relief and long-term aid for reconstruction of Haiti.

This organizing group will use the expertise of its members in various fields and on multiple levels to unite all those interested in joining under a canopy of administrative assistance, support, unified goals, and numerous off/on-campus partnerships.

We have created the following teams: Group Travel, Financial Management, Communications and Marketing, Events, Education, Medical Aide, Food/Clothing/Item Collection. These teams will be inclusive to the ideas and innovations of every individual/organizational member of There is Hope: Mission Haiti. Each team will be unique and the successes we know we will see will subsequently reflect the growing unity on Columbia University’s campus and our concern for the greater good.

It is our hope that you will join There is Hope: Mission Haiti, become part of the brand, work directly with the designated THC teams, and work to pool all efforts to raise desperately needed funds to support for the Haitian people. You will join over 200 to build a mission for the betterment of not only the Haitian people but also the ailing collective character of mankind.

Groups that choose to have their mission be separate but still affiliated with ours will have the option of being an official Affiliate of THC. Affiliate designation will allow you to have events placed on our calendar and will give you the option of garnering support from us. There will be no financial ties between our mission and an Affiliate but there will be an option to include your fundraising successes into the coalition number (to join the national campus competition).

There will be a very important meeting on Tuesday night at 8 pm in the Dodge Room, in Earl Hall. At that meeting, more detailed explanations will be given and teams will meet and begin to plan.

Please follow the link below to complete an online survey:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dHBVajNBTlRGdHhaZFF4WFpBSlRLWHc6MA

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please email: supportinghaiti@columbia.edu

Upcoming There is Hope: Mission Haiti event:

The There is Hope Campaign presents…

There is Hope: Mission Haiti

Charity Reception and Networking Event

Sunday, January 31, 2010

7:00pm-10:00pm, Roone Arledge Auditorium, Lerner Hall

Guest Speaker: Dr. Jeffrey B. Perry, Independent Scholar

Honoree: Jamaican Consul General of New York, Hon. Geneive Brown Metzger

Donation- $20pp or 2 for $15 w/CUID and non-CU student ID

$40pp for Non-CUID & Non-Student