Throughout this week, several student groups are coordinating efforts to help victims of Typhoon Haiyan, which swept through the Philippines last week.
The University’s newest sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta (Theta), is teaming up with Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike) to raise funds to benefit the victims. On Tuesday, Thursday and Friday this week, Theta and Pike, with assistance from other Greek organizations, are both raising money and awareness among students for the destruction caused by the typhoon in the Philippines.
Sophomore Ivana Gutierrez, the service and philanthropy chair for Theta, has spearheaded the group’s efforts to bring awareness to campus. She has helped coordinate efforts in which members of Greek Life hand out free cookies on the breezeway along with flyers including information about Typhoon Haiyan.
Filipino students on campus, such as sophomore Paco Tantuico, have noticed the groups’ efforts.
“I feel like Hopkins has no obligation to help, but I’ve definitely seen different campaigns and efforts within campus and amongst the students, and I guess I can say I’m surprised and grateful then even from all the way here people are willing to go out of their way to help,” Tantuico wrote in an email to The News-Letter.
On the Breezeway, members of Kappa Alpha Theta will also be collecting donations for the cause.
“We will be asking people as they walk by to give as much as they can. All the money will be donated to the American Red Cross,” Gutierrez wrote in an email to The News-Letter.
Typhoon Haiyan has caused thousands of deaths and has led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people in the Philippines.
In addition to the efforts of Theta and Pike, The Filipino Students Association is also working to raise funds to help the victims. The Association will be hosting a Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday evening in Charles Commons for the Typhoon Haiyan campaign. The entrance fee will be $3, and all funds will go to the Philippine Red Cross.
“Well, I’m an international student, and I fly back home to the Philippines every long break I have. I see what everyone at home is doing, even what the other countries are doing to help, so I guess it feels like a duty of mine to help pitch in in any way I can. The event on Saturday is usually done every year. We don’t usually advertise it, and we don’t usually charge, but this year we are trying to get lots of people aware and involved,” Tantuico wrote. “For that event, our goal is to raise about 750 bucks. We also plan to make these fundraising events not just a one time thing. We plan on holding more for the rest of the semester. The other events are still being planned.”
Even students without a personal connection to the Philippines are concerned about the humanitarian crisis there.
“I was devastated upon learning what had happened in the Philippines. Therefore, I think it is fantastic that students are making the effort to make sure the entire campus is aware of what happened and are contributing to the relief effort,” sophomore Emily Schoenfeld said.
For more than a week, the international community has been making efforts to remedy the damage in the Philippines wrought by what was an incredibly powerful typhoon. Many Filipinos in the region continue to be in dire need of aid.
“Theta chose to do a fundraiser for the Philippines because, honestly, if you have the time and effort, why shouldn’t you try and help the needy? As Thanksgiving creeps closer, it just makes sense. One of the members of the Theta Service and Philanthropy committee, Rebecca Jing, was the one who originally thought of this idea and we ran with it,” Gutierrez wrote.
In addition to Theta, Pike, and the Filipino Students Association, other entities are also on campus collecting donations.
“I know the JHU Red Cross will be doing an event after the week Thanksgiving break — they are planning on selling Holiday (Christmas) Lights. It was something they did to raise money for Hurricane Sandy last year and was very successful then,” Gutierrez wrote.
Not all students on the Homewood Campus are entirely satisfied with the general response here to Typhoon Haiyan.
“Besides Theta, who I saw on the Breezeway, I have not seen anyone really fundraising for relief in the Philippines. I know that we’re all very busy, and it’s hard to spend time outside fundraising in the cold, but after reading about the disaster I know that Homewood can do more,” senior Stafford Enck said.
Others echoed that sentiment.
“Maybe I haven’t been looking, but I am disappointed in the lack of response around campus to this tragedy,” Gutierrez wrote.
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