Coming Together after Sandy (How to Help with the Recovery Effort)
We got our power (and with it, running water!) back this morning. I let out a yelp of joy and rushed to flush toilets, run the dishwasher and shower. The kids showered too. We went to the store for some provisions and checked in with family. In the grand scheme of things, this was nothing. A few days without running water or power pales in comparison to what others are facing.
When I turned on the television for the first time in days, I was struck. I’ve known about the devastation on the Connecticut shoreline. I talked to some of the people whose homes were flooded during the storm and heard the devastation and gratitude that things weren’t worse. And I’ve seen the homes with the walls demolished by the angry sea. I’ve known about the devastation in New Jersey too. The washed away boardwalks and homes lost.
But I hadn’t heard about Staten Island. Or realized that the damage across the tri-state area was even worse than what I knew. The loss of home and life is breathtaking. I am typing with tears in my eyes, thinking of the children and adults who died. This storm really struck my area of the country hard.
Now, as power is beginning to be restored and our lives are coming back together, is the time to truly come together. Our friends, our neighbors, our acquaintances need us. Across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, people have lost everything. We need to help however we can.
I’ve pulled together this list of ways to help with the recovery effort. I will add more as they come to my attention.
How to Help the Sandy Recovery Effort
- Volunteer in Connecticut with the Connecticut Red Cross. To learn about opportunities, email ctvol@ctredcross.org with your phone number and email address
- Donate blood. The American Red Cross is coordinating donations.
- Donate to the United Way Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund
- Check Charity Navigator for additional ways to make monetary donations.
- Beyond Connecticut, you can volunteer with the American Red Cross to help staff a shelter in the worst impacted areas.
- Check out Time Out New York for numerous opportunities to donate time, supplies or money in New York
- Follow the #SandyVolunteer hashtag on Twitter to see new volunteer opportunities as they arise
