| NEWS RELEASE |
|
Office of External Communications |
Houston, TX 77204-5017 Fax: 713.743.8199 |
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Eric Gerber |
|
Efforts Include Enrolling Displaced Students, Eye Care, Job Placement, Food and Water Drives HOUSTON, Sept. 2, 2005 – In June 2001, the University of Houston community helped families, friends and co-workers recover from Tropical Storm Allison. Now, four years later, Cougars are again lending a helping hand, but this time to evacuees fleeing from the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. One of the many efforts under way for evacuees focuses on displaced university students. Students enrolled at universities unable to open because of Hurricane Katrina are being accepted at all four UH System institutions, according to Donald Foss, senior vice president of academic affairs and provost. As of Friday, Sept. 2, more than 200 students from Xavier, Tulane, Loyola and the University of New Orleans completed the application process. At least 100 staff members and 20 to 30 student volunteers were working with these applicants. Foss also noted that various UH units and programs, such as the College of Optometry, are expanding their services to the community as part of their educational process. “I want to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude to all of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni who are working with us in our efforts to assist our fellow students and colleagues, and to everyone who has stepped forward with offers of assistance,” Foss said. “This proves, once again, that the community can count on the University of Houston in times of crisis.” Other UH-related hurricane relief efforts include: • The C.T. Bauer College of Business and the Honors College have established the Water Fund to purchase enough beverages to fill an 18-wheeler truck by Friday, Sept 9. Donations to the fund may be made at any university venue where bins will be placed near cash registers. To make donations or for more information, contact Nicholas Broussard at kcinb@aol.com or at 713-446-2801. • UH Career Services is creating a Web page where corporate, business and governmental agencies can post temporary and/or part-time jobs for displaced workers. The page will be accessible by Wednesday, Sept. 7 at www.career.uh.edu. • The M.D. Anderson Library and the Houston Alumni Organization
are collection points of a drive to help children and adults of
all of ages. The drive will collect new or used books, new stuffed
animals, playing cards and dominoes. The library will serve as a
collection point for three weeks. WWW United Inc., a local non-profit
agency, initiated the drive and is partnering with UH and Sterling
Bank. The organization may add more campus collections sites later.
For more information, visit www.wwwunited.org. • The Muslim Student Association will offer blue and white support ribbons for a $1 donation. All proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross. Ribbons can be purchased at the MVP office and at various locations on campus. The ribbons can be worn in hope and support on the hurricane victims. • Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management student organizations are collecting canned vegetables, cereals, canned juices and bottled water through noon, Friday, Sept. 9. A collection bin is located in the lobby of the hotel’s south wing. For more information, contact Mary Douglas at 713-743-2423. • The College of Optometry is extending services to Louisiana
and Mississippi evacuees displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Patients
who show a valid ID from either of these two states will receive
a 70 percent discount for eye exams and will be offered new glasses
at cost. There is no charge for repairing glasses. For patients
without insurance or money, the University Eye Institute will provide
professional services, also at no charge. • The Department of Clinical Sciences and Administration’s
registered pharmacists faculty have volunteered their services to
local pharmacies and hospitals in the city. Fourth-year pharmacy
students currently on clinical rotations with hospitals and pharmacies
in the Houston area have volunteered to provide services to people
at the Astrodome. • KUHT-TV, Houston PBS will accept clothing, diapers and
baby formula 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday – Friday at the Melcher
Center for Public Broadcasting, 4343 Elgin St. For more information,
contact Amanda Moore at • The Graduate School of Social Work is assisting with childcare and with direct mental health crisis intervention. • The Counseling and Testing Center and the Psychological Research and Services Center are helping on a limited basis, for individuals suffering from anxiety, post-traumatic stress syndrome and depression. • The American Red Cross will accept donations on behalf of evacuees at the Moores School of Music “Collage” concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, at the Moores Opera House. • The UH Law Center, through a special section of the People’s Law School, is assisting with legal questions, and helping with Federal Emergency Management Agency paperwork by utilizing law student volunteers. • The Houston Speech and Hearing Clinic in the Department of Communication Disorders is offering to help survivors replace their lost or damaged hearing aids. The clinic will charge patients on a sliding scale based on income, and officials will work with each client on payment. The clinic, which is located in the Clinical Research and Services Building, also will provide some speech therapy for those whose therapy has been interrupted. To make an appointment for hearing aids, call 713-743-2898; and to make an appointment for speech therapy, call 713-743-2899. • Cougar PEP and UH Wellness are sponsoring a monthlong food
drive throughout September. The organizations are accepting canned
goods at the UH Wellness offices, University Center underground
(UC) in Room 35 and the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center (CRWC)
in Suite 1038; CRWC administrative offices; the Women’s Resource
Center, UC Satellite in Room 7; UH Police Department; and Learning
Assessment Services, Student Service Center 1 on the second floor.
For more information, call 713-743-5496 or 5461. About the University of Houston For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom. |
|