Hundreds of Miami Dade College students went without sleep Friday night to raise money for Haiti.

The All-Nighter for the Poor program was organized by Food for the Poor, a 27-year-old organization dedicated to international relief efforts.

In recognition of World Food Day, a few colleges across the nation pledged to raise funds between 7 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday.

A representative of Food for the Poor, Aimee Vignola, said MDC's event, dubbed All-Nighter for Haiti, was tailored to collect money specifically for Haiti and was the largest.

Participants spent the night dancing, listening to live rock music, enjoying poetry readings and singing. Money was raised through food sales, donations, T-shirt sales and raffles.

``We have had a donor base that has been with us for years, but we needed to get the next generation to figure out that there are millions of kids trying to survive on dirt cookies,'' Vignola said.

The All-Nighter for Haiti was spearheaded by a group of honors students who traveled to Austria in March for the Salzburg Global Seminar's weeklong International Study Program.

There, they discussed issues of worldwide concern and strategies to approach the major problems.

Stephanie Del Pino, a sophomore, said that when they came home, they were eager to turn their ideas into action.

``Our professor challenged us. He told us, `Instead of saying you're going to do this, let's go back to Miami and do it,' '' said Alexandria Rodriguez, who also attended the seminar in Austria.

With the help of sociology professor Stuart Williams, and a team of more than 200 students who signed onto the project, the college raised nearly $20,000. About $7,000 was collected at the event; the rest came from other efforts leading up to it, such as bake sales and car washes.

``Each of them did their part in inviting friends and family, and that's how we got this crowd,'' said Stephanie's mother, Fanny Del Pino. ``It's amazing what these young people can do. Our kids make us, the older people, move a little bit more.''

More than 500 people circulated through the Fred Shaw Plaza on the college's Kendall Campus, where they were entertained by salsa dancers, a steel-drum performance, singers and dance routines by a young group called Royal Zion.

Many of the volunteers were enrolled in service classes that require students to get involved in community projects in exchange for class credits.

Bhergnon Aleman, 23, came from the Hialeah campus to help run the Peruvian food tent at Friday's event.

``Haiti is the poorest country,'' Aleman said. ``We have to do 10 community service hours for my speech class, but I came here because I really wanted to help.''

Proceeds from the sale of T-shirts, food, beverages and jewelry went directly to Food for the Poor.

``It feels good to know that there are other people here to support our country,'' said Marjorie Augustin, a first-year student.

Several clubs were part of the effort. Kiel Ashram, president of Students In Free Enterprise, said the group collected enough clothes to fill 12 garbage bags.

``I'm from a Third World country,'' said Ashram, a native of Trinidad and Tobago. `Being from the Caribbean, we try to help each other out.''

University of Miami students are planning a similar event Friday night.

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