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UCLA officials launch $1M crowdfunding campaign for flood cleanup

By Sam Hoff

July 31, 2014 11:23 a.m.

This post was updated on July 31 at 6:13 p.m.

University officials launched a crowdfunding campaign Thursday morning in response to the flooding on campus Tuesday afternoon, which affected several parking structures and buildings, including the famed Pauley Pavilion.

The campaign, hosted on the UCLA Spark crowdfunding platform, raised several thousand dollars within hours of going live.

Officials set the fundraising goal for the Chancellor’s Emergency Flood Relief Fund at $1 million in 60 days. About $4,700 was raised in the first six hours of the campaign.

Jarrett Oakley, assistant director of UCLA Spark, said the campaign will allow alumni and community members help the university recover from the flood. He said it is not aimed at receiving small or large donations in particular, though most of the contributions so far have been small.

Funds will support students, faculty and staff affected by the flood and the restoration of campus buildings including Pauley Pavilion, though the exact distribution is not set and will be at Chancellor Gene Block’s discretion, said Nancy Katano, executive director of corporate, foundation and research relations at UCLA.

UCLA spokesman Phil Hampton said the campaign was brought together in response to queries from UCLA supporters asking to help after the flood.

“This is not a traditional campaign, it’s a unique campaign, put together in rapid response to an emergency,” Hampton said.

Hampton added in an email statement that donors giving to the flood relief fund do not need to pay the regular 6.5 percent administrative fee for donations.

On Wednesday, university officials called for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to pay for damage to the campus as a result of the flooding, and encouraged those with cars trapped in parking structures to file claims with the LADWP.

Hampton said Thursday that he was not aware of any specific conversations between the university and the LADWP about paying the costs of the water damage, and that UCLA is currently focused on getting campus operations back to normal.

People who want to donate can visit the website or call (310) 825-2454.

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Sam Hoff | Alumnus
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