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Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

We have received a great deal of inquiries from people who would like to volunteer to help with relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.  We will update this page with volunteer opportunities as they arise.

Current Opportunities:

• Posted Friday, 9/23:  Events At Ambler Campus

  Monday, September 26
  Hurricane Katrina Relief Drive: Anything Goes
  September 26 to September 30: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ambler
  Campus, drop-off points in the Commuter Parking Lot, Bright
  Hall Lounge, and in front of Widener, Dixon, Cottage, and
  Bright Hall. The American Marketing Association at Temple
  University Ambler is sponsoring a relief drive for victims
  of Hurricane Katrina where all donations will be accepted,
  from food and clothing to toiletries and appliances.
  Benefiting the Salvation Army and the Project Brotherly Love
  relief efforts. For more information, contact
  267-625-6713 or amblerama@temple.edu.
  
  Monday, October 17
  The Parable Faculty and Student Talent Show
  October 17: 7:30 p.m. Ambler Campus, Bright Hall Lounge.
  Everyone has a hidden talent. Some might be flashier than
  others, but all are unique in their own way. The Parable,
  the Temple University Ambler literary magazine, invites all
  Temple University faculty and students to share those
  talents for a good cause. Winning performers will be awarded
  prizes. Half of the proceeds collected through an evening
  raffle will benefit the American Red Cross’ efforts to aid
  victims of Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi, Alabama, and
  New Orleans. Interested performers should e-mail The Parable
  at parable@temple.edu; add “Talent Show” to the subject
  line. Sponsored by The Parable. For more information,
  contact parable@temple.edu.

   

• Posted Thursday, 9/15:  RE: Ambler events for Katrina Relief: Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief - The Rainbow After the
  Storm
  Bright Hall and East Hall, Temple University Ambler In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Gulf Coast families are doing everything they can to pick up the pieces and move
  forward with their lives. Here is an opportunity for Temple University students, faculty, and staff to assist them in  their struggle to rebuild. The Sigma Chi Delta
  social/service sorority and the Criminal Justice Society at Temple University Ambler are collecting canned goods, clothes, and monetary donations in Bright Hall to aid the
  victims of Hurricane Katrina from now through October 28. Collection boxes for canned goods and clothing will also be located in the East Residence Hall and Bright Hall
  throughout the semester. Sponsored by Sigma Chi Delta and the Criminal Justice Society, proceeds from this effort will support the American Red cross. For more information, please
  contact 215-283-1290 or crisbelm@temple.edu.

• Posted Wednesday, 9/14:  More than 120 Temple students, staff, faculty and administrators have signed up and are working shifts at the Wanamaker site.  Site operators have expressed that they could not have operated the site without the Temple volunteer force, and extend their gratitude to those individuals that are currently volunteering there as well as those who have offered to volunteer.  PLEASE NOTE:  If you have given your availability to volunteer coordinators at the site, and have not heard back from them, please be patient.  They have filled the schedule for this week and are working to fill next week's schedule.  They are doing their best to accommodate volunteers, however, they may not be able to place every volunteer that has signed up.

• Posted Thursday, 9/8, 6:30pm :  Attention Temple students who would like to volunteer at the Wanamaker Shelter Site for Operation Brotherly Love:  Thank you to everyone who has expressed interest in volunteering at the shelter site for evacuees.  Your desire to act has been inspirational, and we have been working hard to connect you to volunteer opportunities as they arise.  If you would like to volunteer at the site, we will have an "on-site" orientation this Saturday, September 10th, at 9am.  All Temple students who would like to volunteer at the site are welcome to attend.  Please arrive at Wanamaker (Cecil B. Moore Avenue, between 11th and 12th streets) between 8:45 and 9:00am.  You will need your Temple ID to be admitted (no one will be admitted without a Temple ID!).  Please bring with you your availability for volunteering.  We will meet with Jazelle M. Jones, the City of Philadelphia's Director of Planning, who is coordinating volunteers at the site.  She will orient us to the site, bring us up to date on what has been happening there, let us know in what capacity they need volunteers at this point, and schedule volunteers.

• Posted Thursday, 9/8, 6:30pm:  Temple University's campus wide fundraising efforts for Hurricane Katrina victims garnered more than $1,800 in its second day!  Please be sure to support this drive as it continues Friday.

• Posted Thursday, 9/8:  I apologize for the short notice, but we are responding to needs at the
  Wanamaker Shelter site for Evacauees on an "as needed" basis.  
  
  More evacuees have just arrived at the Wannamaker site, and they have
  requested 10 volunteers immediately!!!
  
  They need volunteers to serve in 2 shifts.  One from 2pm - 7pm, and one
  from 7pm - 12midnight.  If you are able to fill any of these shifts,
  please call Jason Riley immediately at 215-651-1944.  (Please do not reply to this posting after 3pm today)

• Posted Thursday, 9/8:  10 Temple students volunteered throughout the evening last night at the Wanamaker Shelter for Project Brotherly Love.  They offered their time to help those displaced families that arrived yesterday to feel comfortable and cared for.  We thank all of you who have expressed a desire to volunteer at the center.  At this time, the center is not accepting any more volunteers and is turning away individuals who show up to volunteer.  As the center requests more volunteers, we will post that here.

• Posted Thursday, 9/8: The campus wide campaign to collect monetary donations garnered more than $2,300 in its first day!  Please come out and support this campaign today and tomorrow.  We will be at the Bell Tower, The Student Center, and the Owl at Berks and Liacouras Walks.

• Posted Tuesday, 9/6: REGARDING DONATIONS OF GOODS (CLOTHING, ETC.)  The American Red Cross and United Way have asked that donations of goods NOT be brought to the city shelters that are part of Operation Brotherly Love.  Clothing for Philadelphia’s guest evacuees can be dropped off at the Salvation Army in Roxborough (4555 Pechin Street). They are open from 7:30am to 4:30pm and are looking for clothing and furniture. For more information, call the Salvation Army at 215-483-3340 or 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

• Posted Tuesday, 9/6: Volunteers to help the City and the American Red Cross set up the Wanamaker site for guests arriving from New Orleans and other affected areas.  Tuesday, 5-10pm.  (We are currently at capacity with this effort.  Please check back for other opportunities!)

• Posted Tuesday, 9/6: Our greatest need at this point is support for the University-wide collection campaign to aid those affected by Hurricane Katrina.  Sites will be set up throughout Main Campus (Berks & Liacouras Walks, the Bell Tower, and the Student Center) from Wednesday, September 7th to Friday, September 9th.  Monetary donations can be made at these locations from 10am - 2pm.  Please help us generate support for this effort!  Encourage people to stop by and make a donation!

What we've done so far:

• Posted Tuesday, 9/6: Dozens of Temple students worked throughout the weekend with city officials to help set up the Wanamaker Shelter site, and will work there again tonight to finish the set up of this site.  As site supervisors let us know what the needs are for this site, we will post those needs here.

• Message to the University Community from Clarence D. Armbrister, Senior Vice President: The events that have unfolded in the Southeastern region of the United States due to Hurricane Katrina have resulted in an outpouring of offers to help and support the victims of this unprecedented natural disaster. The Temple University community has been especially responsive and we are continuing to receive offers from students, faculty and staff who wish to contribute in some way. As you may know from published reports, the City of Philadelphia has made a generous offer to house an undetermined number of people who have been displaced.  One of the sites designated to house some of the evacuees, at least temporarily, is the John Wanamaker Middle School which sits adjacent to the southeastern quadrant of our campus.  In light of the proximity to Temple's campus, many of our students have already volunteered their services in preparing the site to receive the evacuees.  Others, including faculty and staff, continue to express interest in volunteering to help in any way that is needed. Please be advised that the University Administration maintains constant contact with City and other governmental officials and will advise the University community of the need for volunteers through the Office of Community Relations.  Please feel free to contact William T. Bergman, Vice President of Operations, at 215 204-6550 or please go to the Office of Community Relations website at http://www.Temple.edu/community_service for information about how you may help. The members of the University Community should also know that there are other outlets through which you may give support to victims, including the opportunity to help students from the affected region that are planning to take classes here in Philadelphia.  Many of them will need financial assistance to continue their education.  To that end the Office of Student Affairs is conducting a fundraising effort to assist students from the affected region who are, or will be, attending Temple this semester.  If you would like to contribute to this emergency fund, please contact Theresa Powell, Vice President of Student Affairs, at 215 204-6556. Finally, the University has made arrangements to assist students from the affected region who may wish to continue their education temporarily at Temple University.  Please see the University's home page (www.temple.edu) for information describing Temple's generous offer to provide educational continuity for these students. As you can see the Temple University community has responded quickly and generously to the needs of our fellow citizens affected by Katrina.  We will continue to keep the University community abreast of additional opportunities to provide help and support.