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Donate to Haiti Relief at Homecoming Basketball Game
2/3/2010
 When Henoc Jean, a University of St. Thomas freshman, heard about the devastating earthquake in Haiti, he fought the urge to panic, and focused his every thought the safety of his grandmother, five uncles, four aunts and numerous cousins living 30 miles east of Port-au-Prince.
Jean, a member of the UST Men’s Basketball Team, was born in Houston, but his parents, Carolle and André Jean, came to the United States from Haiti in 1976. Jean said he feels a powerful connection to his Haitian heritage because he grew up spending summers with his family in Haiti. After the earthquake, the hours without contact to his family seemed interminable, Jean said, but he was relieved to eventually learn every one was safe.
“My family lost their homes; everything is gone, but everyone is OK.” Jean said. “When the earthquake struck, my aunt was in the church praying and the church fell down around her. She got out with only minor injuries and she’s doing fine now. My 94-year-old grandmother had to sleep outside with nothing to shelter her.”
Jean’s family is among the few in Haiti whose losses were confined to property. With this in mind, the Office of Residence Life and the Athletics Department are teaming up to ask the University of St. Thomas community to join the Helping Hands Haiti relief campaign. They hope to culminate relief collection efforts at the Homecoming Basketball game at 6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 6, in the Jerabeck Gymnasium.
Boxes will be available in the gymnasium for game fans to drop off items such as food, clothes and medical supplies. Donations will be collected for the Houston Salvation Army, and shipped to Haiti relief efforts. Hands Helping Haiti is also accepting monetary donations. All proceeds from Saturday’s game will go toward the Helping Hands Haiti campaign to help rebuild lives in Haiti. Hands Helping Haiti has been collecting goods on campus since Jan. 19.
After his father and brother left Houston to go help the family, “relocate, rebuild and restore,” Jean said it has taken every ounce of concentration to keep his head in the game and on his studies, but the support of the campus community has been immensely helpful.
“I feel kind of helpless here, and I want to be in Haiti with my family right now, but it’s important to them that I stay here and get my education,” Jean said. “Even though we aren’t there helping in person, we can make a difference. Every little bit helps. So many people lost everything but the clothes on their backs. Please keep the nation of Haiti in your thoughts and prayers and please bring donations to Hands Helping Haiti during the Homecoming Game on Feb. 6.”
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