Feelings of powerless dread overcame the Boston Haitian community after the earthquake two weeks ago in Haiti. As relief efforts strain to reach those most affected by the quake, UMB students have few options other than fund raising.

“It would be ineffective to send people down there now, they’d get in the way,” one UMB administrator said. “All we can really do for now is raise money, but we certainly can look to the future, six or nine months. By then we’ll be able to send students to help with restoration.”

For now students have hurled themselves headlong into fund raising efforts, some have family in Haiti who they are still waiting to hear from, and many have friends. At least three UMB students were visiting the poverty stricken country when the earthquake hit. Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Patrick Day said the three students that he knows about, who are still in Haiti, survived, but there may be other UMB students that were visiting Haiti at the time.

More than one hundred thousand people died during the earthquake.Alain Menelas, the President of the Haitian American Society, coordinated several fundraising efforts that will be happening all over campus in the next few weeks. All the money from the fundraisers will be going to the American Red Cross and Partners in Health.

Student Trustee Tara DeSisto plans to set up a fundraising table on January 29th in the Campus Center, and she is looking for volunteers to help her with it.”I would love it if you would sign up to help. Come join in engaging the UMass Community to help aid Haitians living amongst the devastation,” said Desisto in an email she sent out several days ago to the UMB community.

While relief slowly reaches people in Haiti, UMB Chancellor Keith Motley encourages students to pull together in support of the Haitian community in Boston.

“Like so many faculty, students, and staff here at the University of Massachusetts Boston, I am deeply saddened by the disaster in Haiti. My heart goes out to those in our community with friends and relatives in Haiti; my thoughts and prayers are with you,” Said Chancellor Motley.

There are many websites that offer good information on what is going on in Haiti, but be careful about fraud when donating money. Here are two reliable sources for further information: www.bostonhaitian.com, www.google.com/relief/haitiearthquake.