In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy’s destruction last week, Fordham has taken measures to help the recovery of the surrounding communities affected by the storm. According to a university-wide email from Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J., president of Fordham, Fordham has taken such measures as:

• Setting aside Fordham’s space for temporary housing to shelter students, faculty and staff affected by the storm
• Offering counseling to students throughout the storm and in its aftermath
• Establishing a hurricane relief fund for donations for “low-overhead organizations that already have operations up and running in the areas most affected by the storm”
• Campus Ministry staff taking up collections for hurricane relief at all masses and interfaith services for the remainder of the semester
• Beginning to organize outreach efforts for Fordham students in cooperation with volunteer organizations.

The email also noted that besides about a dozen trees at Rose Hill, Fordham sustained no injuries or building damage. As previously reported, approximately 50 graduate students housed near the dangling crane on West 57th Street were evacuated to McMahon Hall, and those facilities have since been reopened.

McShane also commented on the effects of the suffering around us. “The Fordham community has shared in the sufferings that have marked the lives of many people in the area,” McShane said, “some have sustained severe flooding in their homes; others have lost their homes; still others have suffered from (and in some cases continue to suffer) the loss of power, heat and hot water; and all have had to wrestle (and in some cases are still wrestling) with the challenges posed by dealing with a mass transit system that has been severely crippled.”

For any students still needing help as a result of the hurricane, the email directed questions from Lincoln Center to Vickki Massy at (212) 636-7100 or at [email protected] and from Rose Hill to Kelly Breiner (718) 817-3080 or at [email protected].