By ALYSSA CARMUSCIANO

STAFF WRITER

With winds gusting up to 80 miles per hour and millions of people losing power, Internet, phone service and even their homes, the entire East Coast was greatly impacted by Hurricane Sandy, possibly the most destructive storm to hit the tri-state area in recent years. Thankfully, Fordham only lost some trees and Internet service for a few days. Other parts of the Northeast, however, were not as lucky. A time like this calls for action and support among citizens of the East Coast.

Many celebrities were also directly impacted by the storm. Katie Holmes and her daughter Suri were forced to evacuate from their NYC apartment and relocate to a nearby hotel after they lost power and water.

In addition, Jason Segel, Michelle Williams and Williams’ daughter Matilda experienced flooding in the ground floor of their apartment building and were also forced to relocate.

Even members of the entertainment industry who did not have to evacuate were greatly affected by the devastation and began to pitch-in. A day after the storm, Ben Stiller was spotted in Brooklyn serving breakfast to hungry families at a local shelter.

Lady Gaga, who grew up in New York City, donated $1 million to the American Red Cross. New York athletes also ventured to the different boroughs to donate food, clothing and supplies to the local shelters and to assist in the cleanup.

This past weekend, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel visited hurricane victims in Far Rockaway, Queens, which was one of the most severly damaged areas.

“Taking in the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy … my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone that was affected,” Timberlake tweeted on Nov. 1.

Celebrities are hosting television specials and benefits to shed light on the extent of the devastation and to encourage people from around the country to donate money and supplies to those who lost everything.

The cast of “Jersey Shore” is teaming up with Architecture for Humanity for a special benefit called “Restore the Shore” this Thursday, Nov. 15. They will collect donations that will go towards rebuilding the parts of the Jersey Shore that were destroyed by the hurricane.

Also, on the Friday after the hurricane, NBC showed a special concert that brought together many famous artists including Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and Christina Aguilera to benefit the relief effort and to also lift the spirits of those greatly affected by the storm.

So, how can we help the victims?

Fordham is also calling on its students to take part in the hurricane relief effort in many ways.

Conor O’Kane, the associate director of campus ministry, encourages students to participate using four key points: pray in solidarity, donate immediately, act and support.

“If there is anybody in our Fordham community who is in need of support, we ask them to contact campus ministry or give us their name and we’ll be happy to reach out to them,” O’Kane said.

According to O’Kane, donations of money, goods and, very importantly, our time are at a premium.

“We are partnering with five different agencies: Catholic charities in Brooklyn, Queens and Camden, NJ, and also the Salvation Army in NY and NJ. It is important in dealing with a natural disaster that people feel the urge and desire to help.”

The Kingsbridge Armory on Jerome Avenue serves as a major distribution center for clothing and supplies, and students can visit the Dorothy Day Center for Service and Justice to learn more about it.

O’Kane also strongly encourages students to visit the Fordham Campus Ministry website to find out more about how to help, even when media coverage of Hurricane Sandy dies out

“It is still important to attend to our brothers and sisters,” O’Kane said. “This is a commitment we make as our identity as a Catholic school and our call to be prophetic in the world.”

On Thursday, Nov. 15, RHA and CAB are hosting a benefit concert called “SOS: Sound Out for Sandy,” with performances by the B-Sides as well as student bands and other performance groups.

This is event will be a way for students to unite in solidarity and lend their support to the victims of this disaster.