A Message of Support from the Dalhousie Black Faculty and Staff Caucus for the People of the Bahamas Following the Devastation of Hurricane Dorian
In recent days, Hurricane Dorian, a category 5 hurricane, wreaked havoc on the northern Bahamas. It is the strongest hurricane ever to make landfall in the Bahamas. Several people have lost their lives and many homes, businesses, and other buildings have been destroyed or heavily damaged.
The Dalhousie Black Faculty & Staff Caucus share and feel the pain of the people of the Bahamas.
We will be working with students and others to organize supply drives on the Dalhousie campus and in Halifax more broadly to collect relief supplies to send to the people of the Bahamas. Items that will be collected include hygiene supplies, toiletries, medical supplies, non-perishable food items, blankets and sheets, clothing and other relief supplies.
There will be donation boxes set up in many of the major buildings on the Dalhousie campus and at offices and businesses around Halifax. Boxes will be placed at the following locations on the Dalhousie campus this week:
- Student Union Building
- President’s Office, Henry Hicks Building
- Sexton Campus Alumni Lounge
- School of Nursing
- Kenneth Rowe
- LSC
- Killam Library
- Collaborative Health Education Building (CHEB)
- Black Student Advising Centre
A team of Bahamians in Nova Scotia will be meeting this evening (September 4) to discuss future fundraising events, however there are a few fundraisers that have been confirmed:
- The cheerleaders at Saint Mary’s University are running a clothing drive at the SMU society expo on Thursday, September 5.
- There will be a fundraiser at Jamaica Vibes on Spring Garden on Sunday, September 8 from 3-9pm; proceeds will be donated to the victims of Hurricane Dorian.
They are also collecting several items to send to the Bahamas (please see attached documents), however, they would be grateful to receive any supplies that folks are willing to give. They are also collecting financial donations, which will go directly to the HeadKnowles Foundation, a well-known emergency relief fund that helps raise money for hurricane relief supplies in the Bahamas. Please see the attached poster, which has a scannable tag that will bring up the GoFundMe Page online when you place your phone camera over the tag.
The HeadKnowles GoFundMe Page:
Please reach out to any of the following individuals if you would like to help organize fundraising events and supply drives, donate, or be of assistance in other ways:
- Chaz Garraway: cajgarraway@gmail.com / 902-809-7050
- Nia Scriven 902-989-3248
- Kemmy Smith 902-410-1980
You can also connect with them via:
Email: Dorianreliefhfx@gmail.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/dorianreliefhfxigshid=9rnztnrtztqh Bahamas Relief Hfx
There are a few other ways you can support the people of the Bahamas.
Anyone is welcome to donate to #BAHAMASTRONG. Organizers are looking for:
- Diapers
- Baby formula
- First-aid supplies
- Flashlights
- Mosquito spray
- Canned foods
- Can openers
- Water
- Batteries
- Small generators
- Sunscreen
The Canadian Red Cross supports many international operations and responses, including hurricanes. Canadians can donate any time to their International Disaster Relief Fund online (https://www.redcross.ca/donate/appeal/donate-to-the-international-disaster-relief-fund#eabe0396-7792-4ad5-be73-22ae4e234866), by calling 1-800-418-1111, or by contacting their local Canadian Red Cross office.
