Siri Jangam, Arya Ranchod and Sreya Durvasula, third-year undergraduate students at Augusta University, were beyond stunned by the extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Helene.

All three returned home to the Atlanta area the night before the hurricane hit the Augusta area. The next morning, they saw the extent of the destruction online as they tried to reconnect with friends left behind.

“No one was prepared for the power outages or lack of food,” Jangam said. “When we got home, everything seemed normal, and then we started seeing the photos of the impact on the Summerville Campusthe fallen trees, the power outages – it was scary to think that something like that had just hit here.

Durvasula and Ranchod agreed that the images were shocking and unthinkable because Augusta “gets the warnings but never the storm.”

All three, students in Professional Researcher Programs with a focus on the Medical Scholars program, were grateful to be safe, but immediately thought about what they could do to help their adopted community.

They joined several Atlanta-area high schools to spend a week collecting items to donate, including non-perishable food, bottled water, feminine products, toothbrushes, toothpaste and toiletries. cleaning. In total, they collected 200 pounds of items and more than $300 that they used to purchase more supplies.

The group distributed items Oct. 17 and 22 at the Bank of America Plaza in Health Sciences Campus. All remaining items were donated to AU Open Leg Pantry.

Durvasula said seeing the storm hit a place they’ve called home for the past three years was scary, and she knows the impact of this storm will take some time to recover from. She said anything they can do in the short term will help them in the long term.

The three, who share a podcast called “Off the Rails,” in which they talk about their college experiences, heeded the AU president’s words. Russell T. Keen concerning perseverance and coming together in community. This gift is their way of giving back to a community that welcomed them and contributed to their university life.

“We asked ourselves, ‘What can we do to help?’ “, Ranchod said. “There were so many people who had difficulty getting home, and people are still suffering the consequences right now. There are a lot of people who have trouble coming to class, and it affects their education. »

“It’s a privilege to be able to give back; I know so many people who have been affected,” Jangam said. “Many of our friends, classmates and teachers were affected, and we really wanted to be able to give back. »

This article was originally published on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta University Students Help in Hurricane Helene Recovery