Governor Cuomo Announces SUNY to Host Statewide Collection Drive and Deliver Supplies to Texas for Hurricane Harvey Relief
September 5, 2017
Donations to be Delivered Aboard SUNY Maritime College's Empire State VI to Texas
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the State University of New York will host a statewide collection drive online and at SUNY Plaza in Albany to aid in relief and recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey. Cash donations will be converted into needed supplies and delivered to Texas aboard SUNY Maritime's training vessel, the Empire State VI.
"New Yorkers know firsthand the devastation that Mother Nature can bring, and we are committed to doing everything we can to help Texas recover from Hurricane Harvey," Governor Cuomo said. "This drive demonstrates our core New York values of neighbors standing with neighbors in need, and I encourage all New Yorkers to donate what they can to help in these recovery efforts."
SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson said, "For more than a week now, we have seen the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey continue to take its toll on Southeast Texas. We have kept in our thoughts and prayers a city whose infrastructure has been devastatingly compromised and whose residents have experienced terrible loss. We have also seen our nation at its best, as communities across the country have come together to offer their support. With the Empire State VI heading to Beaumont next weekend, SUNY has a new opportunity to contribute as well. Thank you to Governor Cuomo for his support, and to President Alfultis and the Maritime community for leading this relief effort on SUNY's behalf."
Rear Adm. Michael Alfultis, president of SUNY Maritime said, "Harvey's scale and impact has been far-reaching and we, as a college, are hopeful that the arrival of the Empire State VI and these donated items will help in the recovery efforts that will take many months to complete. We are glad to support the recovery efforts in any way we can."
Students, families, local organizations, and community groups across New York are invited to make monetary donations Tuesday, Sept. 5 - Thursday Sept. 7 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. at SUNY Plaza or contribute to the drive online. SUNY Maritime is working with organizations including the Grace Community Baptist Church, Hillcrest Baptist Church, and the Islamic Society of Triplex to provide needed supplies such as water, towels, linens, canned goods, diapers, and cleaning supplies.
SUNY System volunteers will use all monetary donations to purchase, package, and ship needed supplies to Texas aboard the Empire State VI. All donations should be made to the SUNY Impact Foundation for the relief effort as follows:
Online: Visit SUNY Strong for Hurricane Harvey Relief
In-person: SUNY Plaza, 353 Broadway, Albany, New York
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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