Emergency

Dear Colleagues:

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to serve our community. I continue to feel immense pride at the stories of Hilltoppers leading and supporting recovery efforts throughout our city. Since Saturday morning’s storms, we have engaged in a number of initiatives to meet the immediate needs of those affected. We have responded to many of the requests for assistance received from our faculty, staff and students and continue to work through the list of identified needs. 

Looking ahead, we will continue to open our food pantry from noon – 5pm, seven days a week (including Christmas Day); house more than 100 first responders in our residence halls, including individuals from the National Guard and Team Rubicon Disaster Response; and collect and deploy monetary donations provided through the WKU Emergency Student Assistance Opportunity Fund. We continue to open our Center for Research and Development as the city’s volunteer headquarters, and beginning tomorrow through this Saturday, December 18, from 8am – 3pm, you may drop off toys at this location in support of First Lady Britainy Beshear’s efforts to provide for affected children. Please be sure to check the Western Kentucky Toy Drive website for information before making purchases. Additionally, the WKU Disaster Assistance Call Center remains open at (270) 745-5888 to address your individual needs and answer questions. 

As we continue to provide these important support mechanisms, we will prioritize strategically assisting partner organizations with crisis relief expertise. This best enables WKU to play a supporting role in providing for our community’s ongoing and frequently shifting needs.

Tragedies such as this bring priorities into focus for us all. This holiday season, please spend time with those most important to you. As we continue our work to support our community, I again thank you for demonstrating the Hilltopper Spirit.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas. 

Best, 

Timothy C. Caboni