Monday started a weeklong book drive for Hurricane Katrina and violence-stricken John McDonogh Senior High School in New Orleans. The TCU five-member chapter of Chi Upsilon Sigma National Sorority, Inc. is sponsoring the book drive that will end Friday, Feb. 16.

Senior Narcely Ruiz, cultural events coordinator for CUS, said her sorority was inspired to hold a book drive after a member at the University of Delaware wrote a letter describing her experience of volunteering at the predominately black high school. The letter was e-mailed to all chapters across the country.

“We are a family,” said Ruiz, a criminal justice major. “My sisters here are no different than my sisters in Delaware.”

CUS members at the University of Delaware and Texas State University are also participating in book drives for the high school.

Ruiz said they want works primarily by black authors, such as books by Maya Angelou, Malcolm X and Booker T. Washington, but books of any kind are acceptable. CUS decided to host this event during black history month to promote black literature while collecting books for the high school.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina depleted the school’s resources and escalated student violence and teacher shortages, Principal Donald Jackson said.

“We faced several challenges in rebuilding the campus,” Jackson said. “We didn’t have hot water or enough textbooks, and students had to eat cold lunches.”

Jackson said philanthropy efforts by organizations help to give students a real sense of community.

“All of these efforts have really come in handy,” Jackson said. “We are just so thankful for everyone who has been a part of rebuilding the school.”

Boxes for new, used, single or sets of donated books will be located next to the information desk in the Brown-Lupton Student Center and criminal justice office. Pictures of John McDonogh Senior High School students are also on display.

CUS members want to host a fundraiser later this semester and hope to involve more student organizations to raise money for the high school.

Sorority members do not have a numerical goal for the drive; however, they plan to buy additional books and school supplies after the fundraiser. Delivery to John McDonogh Senior High School will be once all money and books have been collected, Ruiz said.

“We just want to be able to help them as much as possible,” said Beatriz Gutierrez, a sophomore communications major and president of CUS. “Our goal is to make as many people aware of the John McDonogh’s situation as we can.