As part of SUNY Old Westbury’s award-winning Community Action, Learning and Leadership (CALL) program, a group of first-year students created the Help Haiti Project in 2017 in response to recent natural disasters that struck the island. Led by seven freshmen, the Help Haiti Project collaborated with local school district to raise funds and collect donations for children in Haiti. The HHP students involved the elementary school children in their campaign to bring awareness to the need for resources in Haiti, and also to encourage and motivate young children to do what they can to help people in need.
Through various efforts on campus, including a social media campaign, advertising, tabling, and canvasing, the Help Haiti Project donated enough supplies for 115 elementary school children at L’ecole Rural de Platon. A collection of clothes and toiletries was also sent to the town of Platon de Leogane.
CALL Director Tonya Thomas stated – “I am so proud of our students who truly developed this project from the ground up. They selected the cause, developed the campaign, contacted the local school districts, presented their case, solicited the donations, and even sought out a local congregation to partner with to ship the items. This type of applied learning and project management was a great experience for first-year college students.”
The student leads that ensured the success of this initiative were Aniesha Allen, Zenobia Curry, Judith Lacoste, Jovan Manning, Ana Toledo, Nairobi Whiting, Mavel Rodriguez and Joy Alonge.
30 Days of Giving 2017:
- Day 1: Shopping with a Smile
- Day 2: Erie Community College Cook-Off for Kidneys
- Day 3: Stony Brook Medicine Helps in Puerto Rico
- Day 4: A Day of Service at Onondaga CC
- Day 5: New Paltz Students Make a Difference
- Day 6: Buffalo State College Dares to Care
- Day 7: Niagara County CC Students Lend A Hand for Thanksgiving
- Day 8: Old Westbury Helps Haiti
- Day 9: A Day of Service at SUNY Potsdam
- Day 10: Helping Animals at Hudson Valley Community College
- Day 11: FIT Students Help the Homeless
- Day 12: Morrisville Athletes Go Local For Service
- Day 13: SUNY Poly Gives Back Throughout the Region
- Day 14: SUNY Oswego Honors Those Battling Ovarian Cancer
- Day 15: Brockport Students Volunteer at Thanksgiving
- Day 16: SUNY ESF Sends Acorns to Action
- Day 17: Doors Open at the Columbia-Greene Community College Giving Closet
- Day 18: Monroe Community College Helps Walk for Water
- Day 19: SUNY Cortland Supports Crop Hunger Walk
- Day 20: Making Music at Farmingdale State to Help the Hungry
- Day 21: Increasing Food Security at Dutchess Community College
- Day 22: Addressing Food Insecurity On and Around SUNY Geneseo
- Day 23: Westchester Community College Plays the UnHunger Games
- Day 24: Binghamton University Builds University Assisted Community Schools
- Day 25: Mohawk Valley Community College Gives Back To Their Community
- Day 26: SUNY Oneonta Students Help Area Children Learn
- Day 27: Rockland Community College Comes Together to Aid Puerto Rico
- Day 28: Empire State College Donates to Caribbean Relief
- Day 29: Schenectady County Community College Students Provide Support to Foster Families
- Day 30: Raising Guiding Eyes at SUNY Delhi
