Tulane helps its own and others recover from flood

Members of the Tulane University community are helping those affected by the recent floods in Louisiana. From gutting homes to providing school supplies for children, Tulane students, faculty and staff are lending their hearts and hands to the ongoing recovery efforts.

"Volunteerlouisiana.gov is a great resource for anyone who wants to help those affected by the floods."

Katie Houck, associate director, Tulane Center for Public Service

We are compiling a list of opportunities for the Tulane community to get involved. The list will be updated as more opportunities arise.

Help at United Way’s Disaster Recovery Center (Aug. 23–26)

Three shifts are available at the Disaster Recovery Center located at 42271 S. Morrison Blvd., Hammond, Louisiana 70403. The shifts are 8–11 a.m., 11 a.m.–1 p.m. and 1 p.m.–4 p.m. For more details, email Mark Davis at msdavis@tulane.edu.

Help Tulane students (ongoing)

A financial donation can be made to the Tulane Emergency Scholarship Fund to benefit Tulane students who were impacted by the catastrophic flooding. Ready to give? Visit the make-a-gift website and enter “emergency scholarship” in the “Other” field. Families seeking assistance from the fund should contact the student’s financial aid counselor for further details on how to apply.

Help flooded schools (Aug. 25–Sept. 2)

The Community Action Council of Tulane University Students (CACTUS) and the Center for Public Service (CPS) will collect school supplies for the students and schools affected by the recent flooding. Supplies can be dropped off during regular business hours at the Lavin-Bernick Center bookstore on the uptown campus and the CPS office located in Alcee Fortier Hall, building 17. Supplies will be given to the United Way of Southeast Louisiana and Team Comeback.

Help Second Harvest Food Bank (Friday, Aug. 26)

There are limited seats remaining for this student-only volunteer event at the Second Harvest Food Bank in New Orleans. Registration can be completed here. A Tulane login ID and password are required.

Help by getting dirty (Aug. 26)

From 8:30–5 p.m. Friday (Aug. 26), a group organized by the Cowen Institute will spend the day gutting and clearing homes of damaged items. Volunteers will meet at 1555 Poydras St., in the lobby of Suite 700 and be transported by shuttle to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The shuttle will depart from Baton Rouge at 3 p.m. Volunteers are asked to dress in clothes that can get dirty. Long pants and closed shoes are recommended. Email Liz Santos with questions.

Help for Tulane employees

Affected staff members should communicate with their supervisor to stay up to date about resources available from the university. Optum, the Tulane Employee Assistance Hotline (866-248-4096), has counselors available to help address heightened stress and anxiety. The hearing-impaired should dial 711 before the hotline number. The Employee Assistance Program’s website is also helpful. The access code is: Tulane.

Additional volunteer opportunities for individuals are available at VolunteerLouisiana.gov. If your organization has an opportunity to add to the list, please email us with the details.