York College students joined students from sister CUNY Colleges, Hunter and Queens, in an “alternative winter break” volunteer program.  This was York’s first time participating as a group in the program and students volunteered with “Rebuilding Together New Orleans”.  Their daily reflections found on the York Cardinal Alumni Network (YCAN) Facebook page tell the story of how they did their part to help re-build a city still suffering the aftereffects of Hurricane Katrina. 

More than ten months since Haiti’s devastating earthquake that killed 300,000 and made 1.5 million homeless, the majority of people are living in substandard conditions that are violations of international human rights conventions. The cholera epidemic and the hurricanes and tropical storms that continue to batter the region expose the fragility of life under ripped tents, where many are without clean drinking water or adequate sanitation. Women are exposed to gender-based violence in ever-greater numbers. Come hear a range of on-the-ground efforts, activists, and research to find out what exactly is going on, and what can be done to help, while the U.S. Congress finishes its session and before the national elections scheduled in Haiti for November 28.