A text message was all it took for Nicole Schimmel to understand the full extent of the devastation left by Hurricane Sandy in late October.

Schimmel, a junior majoring in public relations at The University of Alabama, received a text message immediately following the storm from her friend in Queens, N.Y., explaining the city had lost power, and people were freezing on the streets. Additionally, Schimmel’s friend from New York lost her car and much of her neighborhood and said her childhood had been ripped away from her.

“When the hurricane first happened, people didn’t realize how bad it was until they walked outside and saw their communities devastated,” Schimmel said.

This text initially lead Schimmel, director of public relations for UA’s Public Relations Student Society of America, to start a coat drive for those affected by Hurricane Sandy.

“We wanted to raise 200 coats – if not more – to send to the New Yorkers who helped us in a time of devastation after the April 27 storm,” Schimmel said. “Tuscaloosa is a community that knows how to come together when things are rough. This is our way of giving back.”

From now until Dec. 16, UA PRSSA’s Tuscaloosa Gives Back program is collecting gently used coats that can be donated to boxes in major buildings across campus, including sorority houses.

“The organizations and departments on campus have been very accessible and determined to help us achieve our service initiative,” Schimmel said. “We’ve reached out to many different organizations on campus, including the Society of Professional Journalists, American Advertising Federation, SGA and even UANews, to name a few.”

Melissa Stewart, a senior majoring in public relations and UA PRSSA’s vice president of finance and fundraising committee leader, said she is humbled and pleased at the response the organization has had in coat donations.

“Numerous individuals have said they will be collecting coats over Thanksgiving break, so I am hoping we double our numbers upon students’ return,” Stewart said.

To help raise support, UA PRSSA is hosting several fundraising events at local restaurants and bars, collecting coats from the Tuscaloosa community.

“We just had our first fundraising event at Buffalo Wild Wings,” Stewart said. “Anyone who came out to the event allowed 15 percent of his or her check to go to Tuscaloosa Gives Back. In the next couple of weeks, we are having numerous events. We are also selling shirts for $15 from now until Dec. 17.”

Stewart said the social media efforts for the coat drive have been the most effective in spreading the word on campus.

“So far, #TtownGivesBack has reached 14,497 accounts, according to Tweet Reach,” Stewart said. “Also, the College of Communication and Information Sciences has been a huge help by spreading the word through emails and adding this initiative to their web page.”

Schimmel said their partnership with New York Cares, an organization that propels New York citizens into volunteer work, has been very helpful by organizing efforts through email, even with its location still without power and phone access.

“They are well aware of what PRSSA and the community of Tuscaloosa are doing to give back and have told us that they are very thankful for our generous act of giving,” Schimmel said. “New York Cares is also hosting a coat drive, and their goal is to collect 200,000 coats. We are going to help them achieve this goal before Dec. 31, when the coats will be distributed.”

Professor Tracy Sims, the UA PRSSA faculty advisor, said it is encouraging to see students wanting to help and give to others.

“The most rewarding aspect of my position has been working with students who are not only committed to increasing their knowledge and skills within the public relations field but also to helping others by promoting community service projects like the coat drive,” Sims said.

Stewart said knowing you can make a difference by just participating in certain PR-based activities to raise funds, such as Tuscaloosa Gives Back, is worthwhile.

“Just to know we are building blocks in New York’s recovery means so much to me and our organization,” Stewart said.

For more information on Twitter:

#ttowngivesback

#coatdrive12

@newyorkcares

@UAPRSSA