On Nov. 8 typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) struck the central Philippine islands. Estimates from the Red Cross put the death toll at over 10,000. Many survivors are without food and shelter and are still in need of aide. SDSU has a large community of international students, many of which have family and friends affected by this typhoon, bringing this natural disaster much closer to home. 

The Share-A-Dollar campaign is a student-led fundraising initiative that has the support of the Office of International Affairs said Grey Wymer manager of international students and scholars. 

The efforts are encouraging students to share a dollar to help the victims of the recent Typhoon that occurred in the Philippines. Some international students at SDSU were directly affected by the tragedy. A few SDSU students from the Philippines came up with the idea. Essentially so they had the ability to make a difference from half a world away as they were waiting to hear news from back home.

A group of Filipino students is helping to support a campaign that will reach out to help their families and friends affected by the tragedies.

“I am grateful that my family is safe but my heart goes out to the people who have lost their houses, their livelihood and their family members. I cannot imagine the pain they are going through. So when I found out about a fund raiser that a fellow Filipino was initiating on campus, I wanted to help,” said Karla Bautista, a third Filipino student that is helping to support this campaign. 

Bautista has family in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, and they were not affected by the typhoon. The typhoon hit the eastern central Philippines where Bautista has friends who either lost their housing or lost family members.

Signs have been placed around campus in regard to the fundraising efforts. The main event being held for this campaign is “The Taste of the Philippines” that is occurring Nov. 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. in Larson Commons.

International Night on Nov. 17 raised $67.64 for the campaign. So far around $200 has been raised for the campaign, according to Wymer. 

“We would love to see as many people involved as possible. Every dollar counts,” Wymer said.

Cash and check donations are accepted. Checks are payable to SDSU-International Relations Council and include in the Memo Line: Philippine Typhoon Appeal. SDSU will then remit all the funds collected to the Philippine Consulate in Chicago benefiting Philippine Red Cross. The Share-A-Dollar campaign lasts until Dec. 5.

Share-A-Dollar donation boxes on campus are located at the Administration Building and Office of International Affairs in Briggs Library. The following departments also host donation boxes: Journalism and Mass Communication, Plant Science, and Communication Studies and Theater. A donation box will also be available this week at the Student Union Info Exchange.

“More than the funds to be raised, I would like the SDSU community to know more about how this tragedy has affected our people and what a dollar in donation can do to help. A dollar is about 42 pesos and it can buy rice and sardines to feed a family of 3,” Bautista said.