Students at NIU have helped the Red Cross after the Sept. 11 attacks by donating money and blood. But the aftermath of the attacks is right outside New York University students’ doors.

Blood donors have come out of the woodwork, as was seen on Sept. 12 at NIU, where the wait to donate was sometimes three to four hours.

As students across the country tried to help in many ways, students at New York University acted at once in volunteering.

Since classes were canceled on Sept. 12, students bought groceries and made sandwiches for volunteers. They also ran cookie and juice drives.

“The effort was enormous and overwhelming,” said Ivy Hong, a freshman psychology major at NYU. “All of the students were willing to help. At one point the firemen couldn’t take any more food because they were so stuffed.”

“Together we can save a life” is the motto of the American Red Cross. That motto has been demonstrated by more than 20,000 volunteers in the past two weeks.

Heather Stratton, a freshman political science major at NYU, felt helplessness in this time of tragedy but also compassion for those affected.

“It was like a war zone right outside my dormitory with fighter planes flying really low, thick smoke, police blocking the streets and checking IDs when you tried to go anywhere,” Stratton said. “So making sandwiches was a really small thing that I think helped us connect with each other at a really scary time, and it also helped us connect with a city that, for the majority of us, was not really home yet.”

Karen Remen, executive director of the DeKalb County Chapter of the Red Cross, explained how the actions by volunteers today will help in the future.

“The Red Cross will continue to be there with comfort and care for the victims, their families, emergency workers and others affected by these tragedies during the weeks, months and even years that the recovery process will take place,” Remen said.