Occupy Wall Street and 350.org, along with other local groups got together to help out with meals, etc. after Storm Sandy. Their base is St. Jacobi's Church in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, with satellite locations for Far Rockaway and Staten Island. There are numerous drop off locations for donations. To give an idea of the numbers, they estimated they would be distributing 15,000 to 16,000 meals this past Saturday. There's lots to read about it here: http://www.alternet.org/occupy-wall...s-relief-machine-stepped-post-superstorm-void
The site linked below has drop off locations and here is a supply list: URGENT SUPPLIES NEEDED Blankets Candles Flashlights Lights Water Food Batteries Diapers and Wipes Gloves and Masks Rubber boots Shovels Cleaning supplies and bleach Trash bags Serving dishes and utensils Anything that produces heat Winter wear (jackets, hats, gloves, warm stuff) http://interoccupy.net/occupysandy/
now the time the occupiers can really get some momentum swinging.. So many people devastated and left in the cold by you know who.
There is a real need for people to help people. Can you imagine? The clean up will be crazy. It's like every homeowner needs several people to volunteer to do clean up at their place.
:2thumbsup: Online news is carrying this, I don't see TV news so I don't know if it has been covered there. Odd to read it in the news before seeing it here first.
I really feel for the people touched by Sandy. It is going to take a long time for their lives to get back to any kind of normal. Last night on the news they interviewed a single mother of two. She had to sent her children to her brother's in another state. The inside of her home had all the walls (drywall) and ceilings torn out and she had to keep the windows open to "dry things out". She had a lock placed on her bedroom door (upstairs) for some safety. She is afraid of looters who have already been around. She runs her car for some heat but that uses too much gas which is hard to get and it is dark and scary with people milling around. They showed her back at her job waiting tables because she does not want to lose her job. She met with FEMA and was told that she would have to wait a week to get 3 month temporary housing. She did not know what she will do after that. I can't even imagine what she is going through. I doubt I would survive. This story was about one person's life. There are so many lives touched.
Occupy Sandy has a registry at Amazon.com, for needed items: Description: Your donations make a difference! Items below will support NJ residents seeking shelter, food, warmth, and human kindness in Sandy's aftermath. For up-to-date information about how to help, visit http://interoccupy.net/occupysandy/newjersey-locations/ or http://www.jcnjrecovery.org/. Items purchased will be sent to the Jersey City Sandy Recovery distribution center at Barrow Mansion, 83 Wayne St., Jersey City, NJ, 07302. If you have Amazon Prime or are able to pay for expedited shipping, prompt delivery is GREATLY appreciated. *Items may not show as purchased until they are shipped. Rest assured that they are in queue.* Feedback welcome at sandyreliefnj@gmail.com. @SandyRegistryNJ is Leah Barton hunkered down in Houston, TX ... hat tip to the original @SandyRegistry. Check out https://www.************/groups/JerseyCitySandyRecovery/ for additional needs. Update from the terrific Barrow Mansion volunteers ... PLEASE PRIORITIZE LANTERNS and FOOD. Pics of volunteers unloading first shipments at @SandyRegistryNJ. THANK YOU for your incredible support! http://www.amazon.com/registry/wedding/2FDVT8QGKJFYR More of a hands-on opportunity here: Opportunities to volunteer and donate: http://interoccupy.net/occupysandy/ http://occupywallst.org/
From a nurse who went to volunteer at Coney Island: 12 Nov, 2012 "Friends, this is how I spent my day yesterday. I am a nurse, not a journalist so please excuse my inability to clearly articulate the overwhelming tragedy I witnessed first hand. Let me explain that I have been to the 9th ward post Katrina and I’ve set up a medical core in war torn Nicaragua. So I am no stranger to disasters. What I was not prepared for was the lack of an official coordinated effort here in the poor neighborhoods of NY. While many of us have complained about a lack of power in our suburban communities, we had friends and neighbors who opened doors with hot meals, abundant wine and offers of warm guest rooms. I went to a central hub in Brooklyn to be “deployed” on a medical team. I was greeted with near-Rock star status as my credentials were discovered. I was asked to get down to a donation site in Coney Island where I would be deployed. When I arrived in Coney Island, I was shocked to find that *I* was the medical relief team – along with a few other volunteer doctors and nurses. There was no intake area. There were no Red Cross tents or mobile units. There were no open pharmacies or any meaningful supplies except band aids and random bottles of Tylenol and children’s Motrin (clearly from peoples medicine cabinets). We were handed scraps of paper with hand written notes from generous volunteer canvas workers who had identified residents that required medical assistance. We loaded up the big SUV we had with food, water and the few medical supplies at hand. I deployed with 2 young nurses, a photographer and an amazing “driver” and we began the long arduous task of going door to door to see who needed assistance. Let me explain, this was not your typical day of providing home health aid. The project buildings are still without electricity! The hallways are completely dark and there is stagnant sea water still in the buildings. It is COLD! The elevators don’t work and you must climb cold, dark stairwells with only a small flashlight. The smell of gas is overpowering as remaining residents use stove top flames to try to get warm. The wonderful people I met had simple requests for hot food and more water. They asked over and over “when would help be coming, why had they been forgotten”. I monitored blood pressures and assessed blood sugars – but felt helpless when I couldn’t offer refills of medications or insulin. Most of residents were elderly or disabled – some immobile or wheelchair bound. There were infant babies wrapped in blankets with coughs and no way to get warm. I spent most of the day lugging buckets and cases of water up numerous dark stairwells. I gave hugs and listened to stories from lonely, disenfranchised individuals who just want to be heard. I write this not to place blame but merely to bear witness to those we seem to have forgotten – AGAIN! What these residents need URGENTLY is electricity! I know the challenges are numerous and complicated, but where are the massive generators which might power a building? Why do we allow this to happen to our fellow man?? I will return again tomorrow and probably the day after that……" http://theloopny.com/blog/locals-walk-the-trenches-after-sandy/ "I’m a photographer who has been covering Occupy relief efforts in Coney Island since Wednesday. For the past few days I have been helping out at the main distribution center and following volunteer medical teams into the local communities. Countless residents have been living in appalling conditions – stranded in high rise projects without lights, heat or clean water. Many are elderly or infirm and are stranded because they cannot navigate the pitch-black stairwells of their darkened buildings. They feel completely forgotten. There’s been barely any coverage of Coney Island in the mainstream media, so PLEASE distribute these pictures as widely as possible." Photos from http://mattrichter.tumblr.com/
From Occupy Sandy Recovery: "CURRENT NEEDS: Blankets (we have none), Fashlights, AAA batteries, Gallon ziplock bags, Cleaning hardware, especially brooms, Flat shovels, Mops, Masks and gloves, Hydrogen peroxide, White vinegar, Any sort of baby/toddler food and formula, Duct and scotch tape, Toiletries (deodorants, tampons, soap, etc), Can openers, Pink spray paint. WE NO LONGER NEED ANY CLOTHING SUPPLIES. You can ship these items through our wedding registry right now!" http://www.amazon.com/registry/wedding/32TAA123PJR42
The media really ignored the aftermath of Sandy due to the election coverage. It's heartbreaking to think so many are still without heat and electricity and it seems to be largely ignored. The best account I've read of the devastation came from the comment section of an npr article. What really struck me about this is many people in the area were commenting to say how inefficient the red cross and fema have been and how the volunteers of occupy Sandy are the only reason many have gotten help at all. I think that's pretty amazing.
Yes, Occupy, and the Rainbow Family too, have stepped in to fill a gap. So much for the smack talking about "lazy hippies". http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=461000&f=64 http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=432047&f=64&page=12
People helping people...So much heart. :grouphug: http://www.newschoolfreepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/DSC_0101.jpg
To update on Occupy Sandy Relief - still on going. The page in the link below has tons of information about the continued need for volunteers and supplies. "Occupy Sandy is a coordinated relief effort to help distribute resources & volunteers to help neighborhoods and people affected by Hurricane Sandy. We are a coalition of people & organizations who are dedicated to implementing aid and establishing hubs for neighborhood resource distribution. Members of this coalition are from Occupy Wall Street, 350.org, recovers.org and interoccupy.net." http://interoccupy.net/occupysandy/2012/12/bay-ridge-kitchen-still-needs-volunteers-daily/
my hearts and prayers to the victim of hurricane sandy! Thumbs to occupiers who are volunteering and helping keep up the good work.
