06/27/2008
Mount Mercy College was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1928 with a mission to provide an education grounded in service to those in need. Today the college staff, faculty and student volunteers are providing a myriad of support services to businesses in need of space and assistance in continuing normal operations.
"This situation was not unanticipated. Months before the flood, Mount Mercy partnered with Involta to implement plans and processes to help area businesses recover from disasters of any kind," said Mount Mercy?s Vice President of Finance and Business Operations Barbara Parks Pooley. "An ethic of community service is a key component of the education we strive to provide. We feel this service is consistent with that ethic. Mount Mercy's reaction to the catastrophic flooding is a powerful example of the college's mission to serve those in need. Working with Involta and housing these businesses is not a diversion of our mission, but a sad fulfillment of it."
Businesses have been located in classroom in Basile Hall. Mount Mercy summer session classes are continuing in other campus buildings. In addition to classroom space, businesses have been given access to telephones, network connectivity and technical support services to help make being displaced from normal business locations as painless as possible.
"I can't begin to thank the administration of Mount Mercy College for the support they have given my law firm during this recent disaster," said Tim White, President of White & Johnson, PC of Cedar Rapids and a Mount Mercy Board of Trustees member. "Not only did the college immediately provide us with wonderful and comfortable space, but it additionally provided communication access so necessary to our business through the auspices of Involta. Through this joint effort we were up and running in a matter of hours."
"Disaster recovery and business continuity planning are an increasingly important part of any organization's success," said Rob Smith chief marketing officer for Involta. "Mount Mercy is a key contributor to our effort to help businesses plan for and survive any disaster."