Fueled by the desire to help victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, the North Louisiana Jewish Federation and the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County have made a generous gift totaling $100,000 to evacuee students at ULM.

L to R: Judith Cramer, ULM Financial Aid Office;
Eugene Thibodeaux II, ULM student; Rebel Fornea,
ULM student; Don Marcus; Phyllis Marcus; ULM
President James E. Cofer, Sr.; Rachel Nix,
ULM student,; Nelson Garrett, ULM student;
Melinda Mintz; Morris Mintz

Don Marcus and Morris Mintz, local board members of the North Louisiana Jewish Federation, and Melinda Mintz will present the gift, in the form of 500 Wal-Mart cards each containing $200, on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 3:30 p.m. in the ULM Library 6th Floor Media Room. The media is encouraged to attend.


ULM students will greatly benefit from the recent donation, ULM President James E. Cofer, Sr. said.


"We are always grateful to learn just how much the community cares about our students" Cofer said. "Many of the students affected by the fall hurricanes have far-reaching financial needs and every bit of assistance they receive makes a world of difference. It is truly an honor to encounter such generosity - we all believe in putting students first."


The North Louisiana Jewish Federation and the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County are both affiliated with the United Jewish Communities, a national organization that represents and serves one of the world's largest networks of social service providers. Its programs are designed to pursue advocacy and compassion while promoting meaningful philanthropy.


After Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in August of this year, the organization put out an appeal to raise needed funds for aid to the affected region. The United Jewish Communities and the Federations of North America raised more than $25 million for disaster relief and yet were still interested in further assistance to evacuees.


Mintz, a concerned Ouachita Parish citizen, recognized the need for help to the displaced students at ULM, so he approached ULM President James E. Cofer, Sr. about how the affected students could best be served. Mintz then contacted the United Jewish Communities about the matter, which led to the resulting grant.


"Many people of our state are suffering, and Louisiana is facing a tremendous uphill battle in its recovery from the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita," Mintz said. "It's not only essential to the students, but also to our local area and the long-term viability of Louisiana, that they are able to continue with their educations unhindered. Hopefully, this will help bridge some of the financial difficulties."


For more information about the United Jewish Communities or the North LA Jewish Federation, go to www.nljfed.org.

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