China Institute Raising Funds for Flood Victims

Cal State Northridge’s China Institute has raised more than $4,000 in donations to help flood victims in China, where record summer flooding has killed more than 3,000 people and affected 240 million more, institute officials said.

The institute, which launched its fund-raising effort by dedicating $1,000 from its own budget in mid-September, will continue to seek donations from the campus and neighboring communities through the end of the month, said Kwang-nan Chow, professor of mathematics at CSUN and an institute coordinator.

The China Institute is an on-campus organization that fosters academic and cultural exchanges between China and the university.

“We don’t have any specific goal, but so far we have received donations from $10 to as much as $1,000,” Chow said.

Fourteen million people were evacuated and more than 5 million homes were destroyed and 12 million were damaged during the flooding, the heaviest of which occurred from July to September, Chow said, citing the official toll.

The money will be given to the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles in November, Chow said. Receipts for income tax purposes are available upon request, he added. Information: (818) 677-3939.