Volunteer for Haiti this Sunday

What:   Sort 160 tons of relief supplies for Haiti

When: Sunday, January 31, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Where: Miami-Dade County Warehouse at 11500 N.W. 25^th Street in Doral

Register: http://go.fiu.edu/sundayjan31

Florida International University is issuing a call to students, faculty and staff to volunteer on Sunday to help sort and package relief supplies for Haiti. Volunteers are needed from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Miami-Dade County Warehouse at 11500 N.W. 25^th Street in Doral.

The FIU community will be assisting Miami-Dade County in sorting 160 tons of donated goods, including canned and dry food, water, medical supplies and clothing. All of the supplies are being transported and distributed in Haiti by Food for the Poor and Project Medishare, non-profit organizations that are on the ground in Haiti providing food and medical relief.

“The more people you send, the quicker it gets done,” said Charles Cyrille, manager of the Infrastructure and Recovery Bureau of the Department of Emergency Management. “There is a lot to do. There’s never enough people.”

FIU President Mark Rosenberg will be there Sunday morning to lead the hands-on effort. Joining him will be Board of Trustees member and alumnus Albert Maury ‘96 ’02, president and chief operating officer of Leon Medical Centers Health Plan, which is assisting FIU with transportation.

“Many in the FIU community have been searching for a way to be more involved in the relief efforts,” he said. “This is a great opportunity to do something for Haiti that makes a difference.”

Since Jan. 17, Miami-Dade County has been collecting non-perishable items at local police and fire stations, schools and libraries. So far, the county has shipped 47 tons of supplies to Haiti and 47 more tons will go out next week. More goods are arriving every day.

Leon Medical Centers will be providing buses from MMC and BBC to bring volunteers to the warehouse site and back to campus. Those wanting bus transportation are asked to arrive at the bus loops on both campuses at 8:30 a.m. The bus loop at MMC is in front of the bookstore and at BBC, in front of AC II.

In order to coordinate transportation, FIU is asking all volunteers planning to attend to register at http://go.fiu.edu/sundayjan31.