Grambling State News

GRAMBLING, LA – Fernanda Azouz, a master’s student in public administration, has been a member of the Grambling family since 2010. Right now, her thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends and loved ones from her home nation of Dominica. The small Caribbean island nation was hit by Tropical Storm Erika last week, leaving 20 people dead, 50 missing and a land devastated by nature’s destructive forces.

“I have many close friends who are stuck. Dominica has lost a lot of bridges and access roads. There is no way to connect to certain villages. Some areas have no electricity and no water. Some people have no food since it has been days with no electricity. They don’t have enough dry goods that they can use. We have many students who have been directly impacted. Their families are trapped, and some have died in mudslides,” Azouz said.

Tropical Storm Erika brought a foot of rain to Dominica, causing flooding and landslides that destroyed homes and buildings and roads, leaving many communities cut off from the rest of the country.

Grambling has 40 students from Dominica enrolled at Grambling, and there are more students who are stranded in Dominica and have been unable to travel to Grambling to begin their fall classes.

To assist the Dominican students and their families, the university has established a safe and secure mechanism for giving. Ways to Donate:

1. Make checks payable to the Grambling University Foundation and mail to:

Grambling University Foundation, Inc.
P. O. Box 587
Grambling, La 71245
(Please indicate “Dominica” in the memo section of the check.)

2. To use a credit card by phone, please call Mrs. Brenda F. Williams at (318) 274-6032.
3. To give online, please go to the Grambling State University homepage: www.gram.edu. On the left side of the screen, please click “Donate to the Dominican Relief Effort” and enter the required information.  Next, select “Tiger Annual Fund/GUF – Dominican Relief Effort” as the designation of your gift. You will then be able to use your credit or debit card to make a donation.

Azouz and her fellow Grambling students from Dominica are gathering supplies to send to Dominica, and are looking for donations of canned goods, school supplies, toilet paper, first aid kits, diapers, basic medical supplies and more. If anyone is interested in donating supplies for the people of Dominica, email Azouz at azouzf@gram.edu.

• Click here to Give through Paypal!

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Media Contact:
Office of Communications
318-274-2866
mediarelations@gram.edu