Social Work students raise money for El Salvador

October 27, 2005

In response to the recent natural disasters in El Salvador, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Social Work Student Organization (SWSO) is raising money for relief efforts. The SWSO will be carrying milk jugs and collecting money from classes from Thursday, Oct. 27 – Wednesday, Nov. 2.

El Salvador has suffered multiple natural disasters since the beginning of October. A tropical depression in the Pacific Ocean, followed by Hurricane Stan, has devastated the country, killing over 60 people and leaving 60,000 in shelters. A volcano also erupted, killing three and displacing another 3,500 people into shelters. Residents do not know when or even if they will be able return to their homes. Adding insult to injury, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake occurred on Oct. 7, damaging a few buildings in the city. 

UW-Whitewater Associate Professor Jim Winship is currently teaching social work at the Pan American University in El Salvador. Winship wrote the SWSO describing the devastation and requesting aid.

“I think if the SWSO were to donate money to help others in the country, it would be a wonderful example of solidarity and a good opportunity to help people in crisis,” Winship said.

SWSO Treasurer Jennifer Bergin said, “The U.S. media didn’t report on the natural disasters that had occurred in El Salvador. There are natural disasters in our own country, but we also need to think about the rest of the world.”

All money raised will go directly to aid El Salvador. Anyone who would like to donate money should contact SWSO Treasurer Jennifer Bergin at berginjl19@uww.edu or (608) 217-8304.