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Staff members help students donate $10K to Haiti


January 21, 2010

ASU Bookstores is well on their way to donating more than $10,000 to the Red Cross Haiti relief fund – thanks to the astounding level of donations from ASU students on all four campuses and one full-time staff member’s idea to take advantage of the massive number of students who pass through their doors during the first weeks of school. 

“The premise was that collecting at ASU Bookstores would be an effective way to reach out to a large number of our students,” said Paul Strauss, a program manager for ASU Bookstores. “Plus, the stores are located on all four ASU campuses so we can reach a great deal of our student population.”

The initial goal was to raise $10,000 to help those in need in Haiti, but Strauss said the staff members expect to exceed this goal by the second week of classes, as the student response has been extremely positive.

“We have had more than 1,200 participants in the program in just four days,” Strauss said on the second day of the spring semester. “We plan on running the campaign for the next couple of weeks, as long as there is student interest.”

Each donor has the opportunity to write their name on a small “Hope for Haiti” certificate that the staff has been displaying on store walls, nearly covering them at this point. Many customers have written positive notes on the “Hope for Haiti” certificates, Strauss said.

All funds collected will be donated directly to the Red Cross relief fund.