Modesto Junior College staff and students, as well as community members have the opportunity to reach out and provide earthquake assistance to the families of three students from Haiti that attend MJC through the CASS program.
The Modesto Junior College Foundation has established a fund to receive donations for these families. Checks should be made out to the MJC Foundation with the notation “For MJC Haitian students” and delivered or mailed to Gene Hill, Executive Director, MJC Foundation, Morris Administration Building 209, 435 College Avenue, Modesto, CA 95350. Donations (which are NOT deductible in this case) can also be made online by visiting: https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1001817 and make sure to reference the MJC Haitian Students Fund in the comment bar when donating online. The MJC Foundation is collecting the donations, which will be transferred to the Cooperative Association of States for Scholarships (CASS) program at Georgetown University. The CASS program is sponsoring the Haitian students studying agriculture at MJC, and will be responsible for channeling the funds to their families for food, supplies to rebuild or repair their homes and other necessities.
Modesto Junior College faculty, students and friends invite the community to Haiti Re-plugged – A Benefit Concert on Friday, February 19, 7 – 9:30 p.m. at the Oakdale High School Little Theatre in Oakdale. The concert will feature the talents of over a dozen musicians. A $10 donation is encouraged at the door and proceeds will be used to help the families of three Haitian students studying at MJC. For more information contact David Baggett at (209)575-6790.
The students who are members of the MJC International Club, Alpha Gamma Sigma, Chi Alpha and CASS program are also helping to fundraise for the families of MJC’s three Haitian students and for UNICEF. Using the theme “Change can Make a Difference,” the students are asking people to empty their pockets and purses of change and donate it to this important cause. Your quarters and dimes might not mean much to you but these coins can add up and make a big difference for the people of Haiti. If you would like a club member to come to your class or office during this week, please contact club advisor and International Student Counselor Barbara St. Urbain 575-6012 or email her at sturbainb@mjc.edu. If you would like to collect change on your own and forward the money to the International Club, that would also be appreciated. Just drop it off at Barbara St. Urbain's office in the Counseling Center (Morris 103) or contact her to arrange pick up. If you have any questions you may also call her.
The students still do not have a lot of details regarding the living conditions their family members are currently subject to, but they fear their families’ basic needs of water, food, and shelter are not being met. The students participated in a Haiti Symposium at MJC on January 29, and thanked everyone for their encouragement and support. They were interviewed by for a story that ran in the January 15th edition of The Modesto Bee: http://www.modbee.com/featured/story/1008680.html
For additional information contact Elizabeth Orozco-Wittke, Manager of International Contract Programs/WTC at MJC at (209) 575-6635, (209) 575-6795 or via email: elizabeth@mjc.edu.
