UVI Rise Hurricane Relief Fundraiser Held in Boston

University of the Virgin Islands President, Dr. David Hall, attended a hurricane relief fundraiser on Saturday, Dec. 16, at the Northeastern’s Alumni Center on Columbus Avenue in Boston. The primary goal of the fundraiser was to help provide essential supplies to students, faculty, and staff members at UVI —some of whom lost their homes when Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the Virgin Islands.

“It was a very successful event,” Dr. Hall said. “I think that the people went away with a deep appreciation of our struggles and a deep commitment to trying to help us get some relief.” 

The event featured an auction of sports memorabilia and other items. The Red Sox donated an autographed David Price jersey, and the Celtics committed to providing an Al Horford jersey. Several local businesses, including Oleana Restaurant, Sofra Cafe and Bakery, Karma Coffee, and La Campania Restaurant donated items for auction. STKing Associates provided two Celtics game tickets. 

From this fundraiser, the UVI Relief Fund has raised $10,000 and other donations are also expected.

The secondary goal of the fundraiser was to shine a spotlight on the acute need in the Virgin Islands. “I was able to share with them what has happened as a result of Hurricanes Irma and Maria and what we are doing to recover,” said Dr. Hall. “I emphasized the need for their support of the UVI Rise Relief Fund. We also used an Institutional Advancement slide presentation that showed the before and after pictures of the campus and people were very impressed with that.” 

Dr. Hall was also invited to make a presentation at the St. Paul AME Church the next day. “Similar to what took place at the Ebenezar Baptist Church in Atlanta, they devoted the outreach offering basket to the UVI Relief Fund,” Dr. Hall said. 

Sandra King, a marketing strategist for STKing Associates LLC, organized the fundraiser to benefit the University of the Virgin Islands hurricane relief effort. Northeastern President Joseph E. Aoun’s office sponsored the event. 

To help the UVI students, faculty and staff visit the UVI Rise Relief Fund page.

Ebenezer Baptist Church Family Lend Support UVI Family

UVI President David Hall & Dr. Marilyn Braithwaite Hall

The historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga., the spiritual home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the home of 4,000 members of its congregation, took up a collection on Sunday, Nov. 19, not to support a cause in Atlanta, but to support the students, faculty and staff of the University of the Virgin Islands and the people of the Virgin Islands.

UVI President David Hall attended the 11:30 a.m. service with his wife, Dr. Marilyn Braithwaite Hall, and made an appeal for UVI and the VI.

Through Dr. Hall, members of the church learned of the plight caused by two category five hurricanes that struck the Virgin Islands, just days apart, in September 2017.

Dr. Marilyn Braithwaite Hall,

“We lost across both campuses about 10 buildings,” Dr. Hall said. “Many of our faculty, students and staff have been displaced. Two months later there is only about 30 percent of the island that has power and we are engaged in a process of trying to support our students and faculty and staff because they are coming to work every day.”

“We resumed classes one month having gone through all of that, but they are coming to class and coming to work to keep the semester alive. But many of them are going back home to darkness – to no power, to no water,” Dr. Hall continued. “Students have lost their homes, yet they are still trying to pursue their degree.”

Ebenezer Baptist Church

“So my wife and I and so many others are on a mission to try to get this nation to realize that yes, Puerto Rico lost a lot and yes, Houston and Florida lost a lot, but there are these African Americans in the Caribbean who have lost a lot as well and that they need your support,” he said.

“Every Sunday we raise an ‘In As Much’ offering at our church,” said Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock to his congregation. “Know that as you give to the ‘In As Much’ offering today, that we are going to help the US Virgin Islands in the short-term.” He asked the congregation to also think about long-term partnering with a Historically Black College in the Virgin Islands to help. Rev. Pastor Warnock had an opportunity to speak with Drs. Hall before the services.               

Dr. David Hall & Pastor Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock.

Ebenezer Baptist Church is Atlanta-America’s Freedom Church, anchored in the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The church is an urban-based, global ministry dedicated to individual growth and social transformation through living in the message and carrying out the mission of Jesus Christ. Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr., known as “Daddy King,” served as assistant pastor from 1927 to 1930. Rev. King, Sr. became pastor of Ebenezer in 1931.

To help the UVI students, faculty and staff visit the UVI Rise Relief Fund page.