What is primarily needed in India is money to purchase supplies and
equipment thatis regionally available.  The Indian Students Association
has already begun collecting money donations.  We encourage anyone in the
Universitycommunity to contribute to that effort.  Preference is for donations
to be in the form of checks.

The money will be deposited into the Indian Students Association account with
the Office of Student Activities and one check for the relief effort will be written
by Student Activities.  It will go to the People Science Institute in India, a
non-Government disaster relief agency with which one of the graduate
students present at our meeting has worked for a year prior to coming here.

Checks should be made out to :UML Indian Students Association with
Indian Earthquake Relief in the memo field of the checkand can be
dropped of at the Student Activities Office on Sth Campus (McGauvran
224) or the Student Services Office on Nth Campus (Cumnock Hall).
We will send the first check sometime immediately after Feb. 16, though will also
forward money that comes in after that date.  If any other group is doing such
fund raising and wishes to give it in cash, that can be also taken to the
Student Activities Office and designated for this fund.

Should you wish to contribute in some other way than through this fund,
we encourage you to do so through any relief agency that you may know.
Many religious denominations have such agencies, and the Red Cross and
Habitat for Humanity are also seeking donations for the relief effort.
We have placed on the web a long list of agencies known to be receiving
donations for the Indian Relief Effort.  It is at
http://www.uml.edu/student-services/india.html

Second:

We do have a number of students whose families are from the most
heavily affected area.  We have a strong concern that they are supported in
coping with this tragedy (including lack of information about specific family
members).  We encourage you to just ask any of the Indian members of
our community how they are doing and if they have family involved.  The
most important way we cope with such tragedies is in sharing thoughts,
feeling and concerns with friends.  If any person is having a particularly
difficult time, encourage them to speak with someone from the
Counseling Center or Campus Ministries.

We will have an open meeting for Indian students and faculty to come
 together for updates and support on Friday Feb. 9 at 4:30pm in Kitson
303. Light refreshments will be available.

Those of us at the meeting also wanted to remind you that there are
groups raising funds for relief following the recent El Salvador
earthquake, including a housing rebuilding effort coordinated by the Coalition for
a Better Acre and Lawrence Community Works.  Checks made out to:
Coalition for a Better Acre/Housing Relief for El Salvador can be sent
to CBA, 450 Merrimack St., Lowell, MA  01850.  Further information
about this effort is available at CBA - (978) 970-2107 or
Rev. Imogene Stulken (x. 5014).

For further information, please contact Noel Cartwright (x 4331) or
Chandrika Sharma (x 4574).

On behalf of the ad hoc committee,

Noel J. Cartwright, Ph.D.
Director of Counseling                  Mailing Address:
UMass Lowell                                 Counseling Center
Ph:  978/934-4331                           71 Wilder St., Suite 4
Fax: 978/934/4025                          Lowell,  MA  01854-3092

E-Mail: Noel_Cartwright@uml.edu
 


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