UPDATED POST — It was just last week that I wrote this post about victims of Hurricane Harvey, as well as historic floods in India, both of which have been impacting our Ross family of students, staff, faculty, and alumni. Now, I am back to express our support of those who will be impacted by Hurricane Irma.

I know this is storm season, and people are resilient. But I'm updating this post because these storms are historic in their devastation. And even though, we, in Ann Arbor, are not feeling the brunt, please keep in mind that the Ross family, and the UM family as a whole, is not only national, but global, and that many lives who are part of the Go Blue community are experiencing huge hardships and disruptions in their lives.

It will take a combination of government, business, institutions, and communities like ours to work together to aid those who need help and to prepare for the next catastrophe.

These events, it seems, are going to come with greater frequency. And when they do, the Michigan Ross community will support and stand with you and your families during these difficult times.

Our efforts to help those affected by these natural disasters are evolving as we learn more about what is needed on the ground and in our community. Below is a list of support resources available now for people who have been impacted:

• 1:1 Outreach:  Our team is proactively reaching out to students who we know have ties to Texas and the Gulf Coast areas in order to generate awareness of the full set of support offerings we’re making available to them.
• Health & Well-Being Offerings: We are offering free and confidential counseling services for all students with Ross’ CAPS counselor, Julie Kaplan (jrkaplan@umich.edu). When CAPS is closed, students can call 734-764-8312 and press 0 to be connected to the after-hours counselor. The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FASAP) is available to provide support and assistance to all University staff and faculty.
• Invitation to Move into On-Campus Housing Early: Students who are moving into one of our residence halls have been invited to come to campus early. If you are among the students impacted by Hurricane Harvey, you can email University Housing at housing@umich.edu with 'Texas Early Move In' in the subject line.
• Assistance on Academic Issues: For assistance on academic issues, students are encouraged to reach out to their academic adviser. They may also reach out to U-M’s Dean of Students (DOS) office.

To all of our community, if you are interested in helping those affected by these storms, we recommend:

• Joining With Ross Alumni Clubs of Texas in Raising Money For The American Red Cross: The three Michigan Ross alumni clubs in Texas (Houston, Dallas, and Austin) have organized a crowdfunding campaign in an effort to bring together Michigan Ross alumni to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey. Funds raised in this campaign will contribute specifically to the Red Cross’ Hurricane Harvey Relief Campaign, which provides shelters, food, and additional on-the-ground resources.
• Joining With Ross Alumni Clubs of Florida and SE States in Raising Money For The American Red Cross: This link will be a crowdfunding portal for alumni wishing to aid those impacted by Hurricane Irma.
• Donating Directly to Impacted Ross Students: Donations to the fund will go into an emergency funding support pool that will assist any student needing to replace technology (ex: phones and laptops) as well as assist with housing and transportation needs.
• Donating to the International Red Cross to Help Victims in India: The International Red Cross is providing relief and assistance to victims in India, Nepal, and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Thank you to the entire Michigan Ross community for standing strong with all of our students, alumni, faculty, and staff who have been affected by these storms. Our community is at its strongest when we come together.