As first responders continue the tireless search for survivors of last week’s building collapse and families anxiously await information, we at the University of Miami stand in solidarity with our heartbroken community.
Among the missing are the mother of one of our colleagues and dozens of longtime friends and alumni of the University. Our hearts ache with and for each of them. Yet in the darkness of these moments, we hold on to hope.
Many ’Canes are stepping up to aid those affected. As Mayor Charles Burkett (UM class of 1983) steers the Town of Surfside through this unimaginable catastrophe, many other fellow alumni are deployed to the scene in various capacities.
The Gordon Center at our Miller School of Medicine is offering technical assistance to rescue teams, while UHealth doctors assess and advise on potential health risks. Our counseling staff and chaplains are volunteering their time to help families cope.
The generosity of our community ranges from UM Trustee Stuart Miller and the Lennar Foundation donating $1 million to relief efforts, to students who are finding their own ways to lend support, such as our Hurricane football players delivering food and supplies to first responders.
For those personally impacted, we are with you. If you need help, students can contact the Counseling Center, while faculty and staff can reach out to the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program.
For those wanting to donate, there are several relief efforts underway you can come alongside, including Support Surfside, Operation Helping Hands, the American Red Cross, the
Greater Miami Jewish Foundation, and the Shul of Bal Harbour.
In times of need in South Florida, we are not simply a university in Miami—we are the University of Miami. We stand ready to lend a hand to our friends and neighbors as we work together to recover from this unspeakable tragedy.
We are one U. |
