February 15
To the NSCC Community,
Our deepest concern and sympathy are with the people of Turkey and Syria who were affected by the powerful pre-dawn 7.8 magnitude earthquake last week. We know that many have family and friends in the United States and in our service area who have been affected. Rescuers continue to search for survivors from underneath thousands of toppled buildings while the death toll is now over 40,000 in Turkey and Syria, according to ABC News.
Turkish officials say some 13.5 million people have been affected in an area spanning roughly 450 km (280 miles) from Adana in the west to Diyarbakir in the east. In Syria, people were killed as far south as Hama and as far as northern and western Syria, 250 km from the epicenter. As if the ongoing war wasn't enough for Syrians, this earthquake has added a tragic and new high level of trauma.
Supporting where one can, and supporting one another, is very important.
At times of crisis such as this, it is normal to feel helpless or so far removed that we are unable to make a difference. Yet we can all contribute in our own way. Funding is urgently needed to help people affected by the earthquakes survive this crisis and begin their recovery. For your consideration, here are some organizations that are assisting:
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The Bridge to Turkey Fund has set up an earthquake relief fund. Click here to make a donation to that fund.
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UNICEF is providing emergency water to displaced residents in Syria and helping to reunite children who were separated from their families.
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The International Committee of the Red Cross has dispatched surgical material to treat 100 people in the hospitals in Aleppo and is sending more to other medical facilities in the affected regions.
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Doctors Without Borders sent teams of physicians and other medical professionals to Syria immediately after the quake. Doctors Without Borders has set up a donations page on its site for people to send financial contributions.
This is a humanitarian issue that has an impact felt within the NSCC community, as well. For those who have been personally impacted by this tragic event, we share the following resources:
Students can utilize Lifeworks/MyStudentSupport (MySSP) for confidential, 24/7 mental health and wellness services via telehealth.
Employees can utilize our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through AllOne Health. To speak confidentially with a master’s degree or higher level clinician, contact AllOne Health toll-free at 1-800-451-1834, 24/7 or visit www.allonehealth.com.
In addition to the resources and ways of support mentioned above, we share the following message from the Muslim Student Association (MSA) President, Sarah Mirza. Sarah and the MSA are available to community members interested in learning more about ways to offer support, and they encourage you to reach out via the email address listed below.
“It is my pleasure to introduce myself as Sarah Mirza, the MSA President, student at NSCC, and a Syrian who was born and raised in Damascus without having enough access to electricity, water, gas, and necessities since they are scarce and expensive. As a Syrian who has suffered in the war for 13 years, I am urging you to help us in Syria and Turkey. Truthfully, the political issues within and around the region only complicate the relief efforts. On behalf of MSA, I encourage you to reach out to me and the MSA directly to learn more about the situation and learn more ways to directly support as well. If you need any more information, please let me know. I would be glad to provide it and MSA would be happy to help!”
Respectfully,
Sarah Mirza, NSCC MSA President
--President William Heineman