The Student Association (SA) and men’s social club Delta Chi Delta will begin fundraising for Texas citizens affected by Hurricane Harvey on Monday, Sept. 4. Kibo Midnight Oil (MO) is also partnering with the SA to bring aid to storm victims.

The SA will collect change in the Student Center after both chapels Monday, Sept. 4, and Delta Chi Delta will continue raising money with a change war between social clubs Tuesday, Sept. 5 through Friday, Sept. 8. All change from the social club competition will be given to the College Church of Christ disaster relief ministry to be distributed.

Beginning Monday, members of the SA are pledging to drink only water for 24 hours to bring awareness of Harvey’s damaging floodwaters. They are encouraging students to participate in the.

“Our hearts naturally went out to the victims of Hurricane Harvey, and the want to help in any way possible was compounded even further when we heard from those in our Harding family that had loved ones suffering as a direct result,” said Emily Sheffield, senior class representative for the SA. “The flooding and the destructive nature of water was on the forefront of our minds when considering how to help, but we realized that water is also beautiful and life-giving, so it seemed symbolic to use water as a way to help those who have been devastated by it.”

For Monday only, MO will donate funds from medium vanilla lattes to Harvey relief. Manager Jared Davenport said MO barista and Harding junior Sloan Radford approached him with the idea of having a special drink to raise money for Harvey victims.

“I thought that it would be a great way for us to do a small part,” Davenport said. “We are going to partner with the SA in their efforts. We know that they are wanting to do more direct help so we feel that’s the best way for us to know where the money is going.”

Davenport also said that MO will be working with a coffee shop in North Carolina to collect donations for a Houston-based coffeehouse that is giving away free coffee to citizens and relief workers in the area. Davenport says while it’s not a huge fundraiser, it is a way to give back to others in the coffee community.

During the week, the SA will hosting an online fundraising page, Harding for Houston, with the goal of raising $4,000. Click here to donate.

Written by Sarah Dixon and Savanna DiStefano