More than three months after banding together to help with the relief effort and serving thousands of hot meals to the April 27 tornado’s victims, some members of the UA greek community has plans to continue fundraising for UA Greek Relief. The organization has raised $200,000 since the storm—and the group’s leaders expect that number to grow.
Former SGA President James Fowler said the group had the idea to use the extra food they had left over in the freezers in fraternity and sorority houses to serve meals to both victims and relief workers.
“We knew we wouldn’t be eating it,” Fowler said, “so we started preparing the food for storm victims.”
Patrick Morris, one of the directors of UA Greek Relief, said the organization started small, with only twenty volunteers.
“In the beginning, we prepared close to 1,500 meals per day,” Morris said. “It made us feel like we were doing our part.”
As more and more people heard of the organization, it expanded significantly. Soon, UA Greek Relief had around 400 volunteers per day and was supplying nearly one-third of the hot meals given to storm victims and relief workers in the Tuscaloosa community.
Fowler said the relief effort collected approximately 100,000 pounds of clothes, canned goods and other supplies that were distributed around Tuscaloosa.
The organization has also raised $200,000 since the April storm, and that number is expected to continue to grow.
“UA Greek Relief is continuing to hold fundraisers to raise more money for the relief effort,” Fowler said. “We’re already planning to do some fundraising during football season at the home games, as well as a golf tournament later in the semester to benefit this cause.”
Morris said the organization plans to kick off fundraising campaigns at the Delta Kappa Epsilon and Alpha Chi Omega houses soon.
Proceeds from next week’s Costa’s Greekfest will also go to benefit the UA Greek Relief.
Fowler said the organization has formed a board of trustees and is in constant communication with the university, as well as the city, to make sure the money goes where it is needed.
To find out more information about UA Greek Relief, apply for funding or make a donation, please visit www.uagreekrelief.com.
