For six NC State students, including sophomore environmental design in architecture major and Park Scholar Brian Gaudio, the opportunity to help collect and redistribute shoes to needy schoolchildren in the Dominican Republic has sparked a plan to build upon their experiences here at NC State as well as beyond the borders of our campus.
The massive earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12 devastated the country, leading to an estimated 150,000 deaths. Now, an NC State alumnus and Haiti native has employed his talents to help people get in touch with friends and loved ones using social networking technology.
For four years, NC State animal science professor Charlotte Farin has had a hand in feeding 1,400 Haitian schoolchildren who live within six miles of the epicenter of the recent earthquake. The farm she works with now serves as a humanitarian aid center for those suffering in the region.
Emboldened by a mindset of global service and humanitarian aid, NC State students have rallied the campus community around efforts to assist Haitian residents, helping to provide resources to a country where water and food are scarce and rescue efforts continue at a frantic pace.