We at Emily Carr University were heartbroken upon learning of Monday’s devastating earthquake near the Turkish-Syrian border, an event which has taken thousands of lives with many more still unaccounted for.

It is with great sadness and care that we stand with members of our community who have been impacted by this tragedy. We likewise send our deepest condolences to all those in BC, Canada and abroad who are affected by this terrible event.

We grieve with you and stand with you in this time of your loss.

To our students who may be in need of support, we encourage you to visit with our staff at Counselling + Wellness. Trauma-informed counselling services are available to you free of charge. To book a confidential appointment, email counselling@ecuad.ca.

For ECU staff and faculty, employee and family assistance services are available online at workhealthlife.com or by phone at 1.844.880.9142 (TTY 1.877.338.0275). These services are free and confidential.

A list of further resources and community supports is available online, including 24-hour crisis supports, distress supports and free/reduced-cost counselling.

For those who are in a position to spare a donation, volunteers have set up a sorting and distribution centre near ECU at 580 Industrial Avenue to collect items for victims of the earthquake.

Organizations on the front-lines of earthquake response in the region note that winter conditions mean emergency response is facing even greater challenges. They are asking for:

Heaters 
• Blankets
 • Linen sets 
• Pillows
 • Food parcels 
• Hygiene sets 
• Feminine hygiene sets 
• Clean clothes 
• Clean baby clothes 
• Camping gear; sleeping bags
 • Baby food
 • Power banks
 • Winter boots and coats
 • Scarves, beanies, gloves
 • Canned foods

Donations can be dropped off until Feb. 22 from 9 am to 9 pm.

Gillian Siddall
President + Vice-Chancellor
Emily Carr University