CSUN will host a benefit concert to raise money for victims of the Haiti earthquake.
“Hands for Haiti,” which is sponsored by CSUN’s Unified We Serve, the Matador Involvement Center (MIC), Associated Students (A.S.), and the University Student Union (USU), will be held Friday, Feb. 26 at 7:00 p.m. in the USU’s Northridge Center.
“We are all doing this with the purpose of raising as much money as we possibly can for the people of Haiti,” said Hamid Jahangard, the USU’s program coordinator for Major Events.
Justin Weiss, coordinator of Unified We Serve, said the event will be “infused (with) the Haitian culture.”
Cultural elements will be infused within the program, including Haitian music, slideshows that depict Haiti prior to the earthquake and present relief efforts, poetry and theater, Weiss said.
The musical performances will include 10 acts of “CSUN talent as well as up and coming artists in our community,” that range from solo and acoustic singing, rock bands and hip-hop artists, Jahangard said.
There will be a $10 suggested donation accepted at the door.
Jahangard said it “is somewhat consistent with what more organizations are asking.” Those that donate $10 or more will receive a receipt that can be taken to Chipotle for a free burrito, he said.
He added that another fundraising strategy is a raffle that began Feb. 23. The $1 raffle ticket will give donors the chance to win a 19-inch flatscreen HDTV and other prizes such as a $50 Panda Express gift certificate, a $25 Matador Bookstore gift card and gift baskets from the bookstore.
Raffle tickets can be purchased at nine locations throughout campus including all the Freudian Sips, the Matador Bookstore and during the event.
The raffle’s winner will be announced during the event and the official phone call will be made on Monday.
“So you don’t have to be there at the event,” Jahangard said.
One hundred percent of the proceeds from early donations on the night of the event will be given through a check to the Hope for Haiti Now fund, which is also known as the George Clooney foundation, Jahangard said.
A.S President Abel Pacheco will be the host of the event and has also been actively involved in the project, Jahangard said.
Jahangard said having different people from the CSUN community collaborate in the event is part of the general idea.
“The philosophy is a human issue regardless of what race, class, gender, socioeconomic status you’re from. If you have an internal feeling of wanting to connect with the community and if you feel so inclined and never knew what to do to help, this is a way you can have your outlet,” Weiss said.
“I’m very proud of our school and their efforts in helping them. And the way they are getting together and helping them in a way more often because it really doesn’t happen so much, so I’m proud of it,” Derisha Nunez, 19, biology major said.
Weiss said anyone can attend the event, not just CSUN students.
“Bring your mom, bring your dad, bring your neighbor, bring your friends, bring everybody who wants to get involved,” Weiss said.
