As communicated last week, GCU has set up a link to collect monetary donations for Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (Friends of the Orphans) in Haiti, to provide disaster relief for earthquake victims. Senior management has announced that GCU will match all monies donated dollar for dollar up to a total of $25,000.
Father Rick Frechette, the on-site National Director of the organization, was featured on ABC News discussing the country’s dire needs for medical care, food and shelter. Frechette runs the organization’s orphanage, educational/vocational programs, and St. Damien, the only free children's hospital in Haiti. Injured children and adults have been pouring into the hospital since the earthquake struck on Tuesday.
To watch this story, please go to http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/HaitiEarthquake/haiti-earthquake-doctors-fight-save-children/story?id=9570393 Please Note: The video does contain graphic images.)
St. Damien has been sharing its medical supplies with other relief workers and facilities, and ran out of supplies Thursday night. If more supplies don't arrive in Haiti soon, there will be a significant increase in the number of deaths, Frechette said. Other hospitals and relief workers in Haiti also report that they are overwhelmed by the number of victims and are desperate for additional support.
Several GCU members have been personally affected, including two employees and a student. One of our GCU enrollment managers and her husband have a personal relationship with Frechette, who is known as "Father Rick" and have been in direct contact with him by satellite telephone. GCU has determined that we can most efficiently help these victims immediately and in the longer term through monetary donations. Fr. Rick assures us that 100 percent of the donations will go directly to the disaster victims served by his ministry.
Again, it is hoped that our community of students, employees and alumni will generously support this much-needed outreach effort. All donations are tax-deductible and will be very much appreciated by the orphans and patients at the children’s hospital. Thank you in advance for your support. To make a donation go to: http://www.friendsoftheorphans.org/gcu.
