A letter from President Jim Wagner that was distributed on Thursday ...

To the Emory community,

As we see images and hear stories coming out of Haiti, we cannot help being moved by the magnitude of the disaster there and the almost unfathomable depth of human tragedy we are witnessing.

As a community our thoughts naturally turn to questions of our own families and friends. Emory has to date confirmed all of its known community members in Haiti are safe, and is in contact with their families. The few Haitian students enrolled at Emory were in the United States and are safe. Nevertheless, many members of our community have friends and family members in Haiti whom they have not yet been able to reach. In the coming days and weeks our thoughts and prayers will be with them and with all persons touched by the devastation.

Many members of the Emory community have asked how to reach out and provide support. The University has no direct channels for helping to alleviate the tremendous need of the people in Port-au-Prince and other affected areas. We do not have programs there and, at this point, would probably serve best by supporting expert rescue workers by sending money. Web sites of some of the relief agencies working in Haiti are listed below and can be used to make donations.

No doubt the recovery from this disaster will take many months. If opportunities become available to go to Haiti and help with rebuilding-as many of us have done on the Gulf coast and in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina-our communications staff will make certain that our community is informed of them.

In the meantime, I am grateful for the level of concern expressed by our community and encourage your continued prayers and support for our neighbors in Haiti.

Sincerely,

Jim Wagner
President, Emory University

Ways to help

Campus connections to Haiti