Message about UNC’s Hurricane Matthew disaster relief efforts

October 12, 2016

Dear Carolina community,

As you know, eastern North Carolina is facing extensive flooding and devastation from Hurricane Matthew that has not been seen since Hurricane Floyd caused unprecedented and lasting damage in 1999. As we were then, Carolina is ready to provide support and relief as communities deal with Matthew’s aftermath.

Most importantly, we know many of our students, staff, faculty and their families and loved ones are directly affected. We hope you will reach out and let us know how we can help. Students may contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 919-966-4042, as well as Counseling and Psychological Services, part of Campus Health Services, at 919-966-3658. Faculty or staff may call the Employee Assistance Program at 877-314-5841 24 hours a day.

We are hearing from people across campus wanting to know how they can help. Carolina offices and organizations are working to make information available. To facilitate communication about efforts and resources, Chancellor Folt has asked the Carolina Center for Public Service to help coordinate these efforts. The best source of updated information will be posted on a dedicated website at ccps.unc.edu/HurricaneMatthew. The center will continue to collect and share information about relief efforts. You can send information by emailing ccps@unc.edu.

There will be a campus meeting tomorrow (Oct. 13, 2016) for campus organizations and units to discuss developing an effective and coordinated response. This meeting will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Pleasants Family Room at Wilson Library. The Gillings School of Global Public Health is uniquely qualified and ready to help lead our efforts, and the American Indian Center is already collecting needed supplies for communities in Robeson County. Student organizations including the Campus Y will also be integral to our campus response. All of these partners will be represented at the meeting to share their resources and information.

Serving others is part of who we are and there will be many ways you can contribute to the effort. We will come together with those affected to support them in getting through the immediate and long-term aftermath of the flooding. We will also keep you informed of how you can help, so please check back frequently to the ccps.unc.edu/HurricaneMatthew website.

Sincerely,

Lynn White Blanchard

Director, Carolina Center for Public Service