Pitt doubles Haiti relief effort

The University doubled the size of its “Bucket Brigade for Haiti,” a project, meant to… The University doubled the size of its “Bucket Brigade for Haiti,” a project, meant to collect supplies for victims of last week’s earthquake in Haiti.

Steve Zupcic, assistant director of Community Relations, said Pitt has now purchased 1,000 buckets printed with the University’s name.

Student organizations can collect new items such as baby wipes or wet wipes, non-liquid soap, washcloths and toiletries and bring them to a collection of empty buckets placed near the main information desk in the William Pitt Union. Items that could leak, such as shampoo, won’t be accepted.

Haitian families will be able to keep both the supplies and the buckets, which they can use to collect clean drinking water.

“The Bucket Brigade is something the students can do,” Zupcic said. “Filling those buckets is not something that is expensive.”

The Brother’s Brother Foundation, a North Side-based group that promotes international health and education by donating medical, educational and other supplies to people in need, will pick up the buckets Feb. 8 and send them to Haiti.

The University might extend the deadline if student interest grows.

Zupcic said employees in the School of Medicine filled 12 of the buckets and that he has received more than 40 calls from University organizations hoping to help the drive.

The University purchased the first 500 buckets and placed them throughout campus and resident halls earlier this week.

Zupcic said the campaign would have had a quicker start, but the University had trouble finding buckets. They seemed to be in high demand after the Brother’s Brother Foundation requested donations.

Zupcic said Pitt “has worked with Brother’s Brother extensively every year” and that he hopes this campaign will spark further student interest in the organization and in Haiti.

“I would like the student interest to continue even after the Bucket Brigade is over, and I would like for the students to continue to be supportive of those suffering in Haiti,” Zupcic said. “When the earthquake is in the past — at least a year from now — I would like the students to make an effort to find out what’s going on.”