In the wake of Hurricane Sandy millions of people in the New York and New Jersey area have been trying to recover from the devastating storm. The Mason student-athletes are stepping up to help with the recovery efforts. The George Mason University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will be hosting a fundraiser this week, "Patriots Stepping Up."

"The George Mason Athletic Department has more than 500 student-athletes, coaches and staff, and know so many people in the New Jersey-New York area hit hard by the storm," said Ashley Argyrose, VP of SAAC. "By fundraising for 'Patriots Stepping Up,' we are joining as one family to help those in need. We hope that our donations can make an impact to those who were seiously affected by the hurricane, especially during the holiday seasons."

The proceeds from the fundraiser will be going to the Lutheran Church of the Reformation, a local church of a Patriots student-athlete, in Monmouth County, NJ, an area hit hard by the hurricane. All donations will go toward supporting victims of Hurricane Sandy. The church currently operates weekly soup kitchens and clothing drives for the underserved.

The student-athletes will be collecting non-perishable and monetary donations all week through Saturday, November 17. The church has indicated that the community has a need for cleaning materials, including laundry supplies, disinfectants, gloves and garbage bags. The monetary donations will be used to purchase gift cards from local stores.

The donations will be sent directly to the church with the student-athlete on November 20, prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. Donations will be accepted at the Student-Athlete Affair Office located in the George Mason Field House.