Texas State volunteers have raised over $74,000 in an emergency crowdfunding campaign and are offering additional emotional support for students displaced by the Iconic Village Apartments fire.
The Dean of Students Office, in conjunction with San Marcos Office of Emergency Management, has provided basic necessities to those affected by the fires.
Assistant Dean of Students Kathryn Weiser said the Dean of Students Office has been meeting with the impacted students.
“We currently are meeting with students to see what needs they may have and then try to meet those needs, especially with emergency funding,” Weiser said. “You don’t think about toothbrushes and those little things; it adds up. So we were providing emergency funding to students as quickly as we can.”
To assist the already available emergency relief funds, a crowdfunding campaign started by university leaders, gained over $81,000 from over 900 supporters.
“We are currently crowdfunding, so basically it’s the concept that every little bit helps,” Weiser said. “If 500 people just give a dollar, we have $500.”
Rachel Ingle , Emergency Management Coordinator for Neighborhood Services in San Marcos, said students have come to the resource center at the San Marcos Activity Center. The university and city are working together to help.
“There have been several students who have come to the resource center,” Ingle said. “There are several things available to them. They’re getting gift cards and resources through the Red Cross. The Salvation Army is offering places to stay and disaster relief kits.”
Ingle said employees at the Dean of Students Office and the Texas State Counseling Center have been working with the resource center to provide relief and aid.
Heather Aidala , associate director at the Counseling Center, said the department is offering resources to students who were enrolled in the past spring, summer or for the fall semester.
“(Students) are eligible to come in and meet with a clinician to talk about the support they need,” Aidala said. “(Students can) see if our resources meet that need or we can connect them with different resources if they do not.”
Students impacted by the fire can contact the university for assistance.