Haas School alumni and the students in the Latin American and Hispanic Business Association have mobilized to raise $7,400 so far to help a small town in Chile damaged by the massive Feb. 26 earthquake.
Haas alumni in Chile concluded that dedicating their resources and support to a smaller town where an alumnus has a connection would be the way to have the most impact. They chose Sauzal, where alumnus Alejandro De Giorgis, MBA 09, has close family. Many small rural towns of great historic value have suffered substantial damage from the earthquake, but most media and first relief efforts have focused primarily on big cities, De Giorgis reports.
The Haas Alumni Chile Chapter also has reached out to make sure all alumni in Chile are safe; all but two alums have been accounted for. Here is a personal letter about the Haas School's efforts that Marcelo Vásquez, MBA 02, president of HAN-Chile, sent out last week:
Dear Haas Friends,
Greetings from Santiago, Chile, where we want to share a quick note regarding the earthquake that hit our country Feb. 26.
First, on behalf of all of Haas’ alumni community in Chile, we would like to thank you for the messages of support and concern for our families and for our well-being. There has been an overwhelming flow of positive, caring messages that have really made a difference in these sad days. THANK YOU!
Second, although we haven’t been able to reach 100% of the alumni, we remain optimistic as we continue to reach out to everyone in our community. However, all of us have friends who have been terribly affected, and their stories are sobering.
Third, there are many fundraising initiatives offering multiple opportunities to support the victims. You may be interested to know that our alumni chapter here in Santiago is supporting a focused effort on a small town very close to the epicenter called El Sauzal. This town is important to fellow alumnus, Alejandro De Giorgis, MBA 09, and he is leading our fundraising effort. This effort will offer immediate and vital assistance to the people of El Sauzal; it is also a real example of “beyond yourself,” a cornerstone of Haas’ defining principles. As
Dean Lyons has said, “Haas alumni shape our world by leading ethically and responsibly. We serve something larger. “ And so we are.
We would like to invite you to support our efforts and those of the Latin American and Hispanic Business Association at Haas. This group of current MBAs is also working hard to raise funds and, if you’re interested, it would be a great way to support to our country. If you want to help us, please make your donation in the following link:
https://haas-lahba.campusgroups.com/web_blog_comment.aspx?id=575
Thanks again for all your well wishes and, particularly if you have questions, we would welcome hearing from you.
Warmest regards,
Marcelo Vásquez, MBA 02
President, HAN-Chile
[email protected]
Macario Valdés R., MBA 11
[email protected]
Claudio Ulloa, MBA 11
LAHBA President
[email protected]