ESUs Earthquake Relief Sends 400 Backpacks to Haitian Students

Posted by: admin on October 31, 2011, No Comments

In its continuing efforts on behalf of the earthquake ravaged island nation of Haiti, East Stroudsburg University’s Haiti Earthquake Relief (HER) committee has collected 400 backpacks this semester to send there for use by young children in the remote rural school locations surrounding Port-au-Prince. The backpacks will initially be sent to Project H.O.P.E. a not-for-profit, volunteer organization based in Rochester, N.Y., which is committed to assisting the people of Borgne, Haiti, in achieving equitable, just and sustainable living conditions.

ESU is specifically interested in assisting Project H.O.P.E. with its educational efforts, including its support of existing Haitian schools/educational efforts, teacher training, and the mobile teacher program. When the backpacks arrive at Project H.O.P.E., they will be filled with necessary school supplies before reaching their final destination in rural areas of Haiti.

The backpack collection was successful thanks to the combined team effort of ESU’s HER Committee, the generosity of the ESU Foundation and the cooperation of local businesses that stepped up to offer the group discounted backpacks. “In addition to individual backpack donations, it’s important that we thank the ESU Foundation for its generous monetary gift, which enabled the HER Committee to purchase the majority of the backpacks from businesses within our community,” said ESU Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Doreen Tobin. “Special recognition should also be given to Target, K-Mart, Sears, Rite-Aid, and JC Penney for their help in collecting so many of these items.”

For more information contact Dr. Doreen Tobin, vice-president for student affairs at ESU, at (570) 422-3463 or by e-mail at dtobin@esu.edu.