Apologies for the blog-silence, it's been a rough two weeks here in New York/New Jersey. Thousands of people are still without power, water, or heat, and those are the lucky ones that still have a home. Even with all the heart wrenching images in the media, it's almost impossible to appreciate the devastation. Needless to say, it's especially frightening to see something like this happen to your own community, to your seemingly indestructible city. Sadly, I know a lot of Americans can relate because of the various natural disasters that have affected the country. We're strong and there's no doubt that New York and New Jersey will rebuild, but it will take a lot of time and assistance. Here are a few ways you can help:
Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City: The Mayor's Fund is a non-profit organization that "facilitates innovative public-private partnerships throughout NYC’s five boroughs." The Fund is currently accepting financial donations to support immediate aid needs as well as long-term relief and restoration efforts. One hundred percent of your donation will be disbursed to relief organizations.
NYC Service: This website has links to a variety or organization and ways you can help by donating your time, money, or goods.
NY Cares: The city's largest volunteer organization, you can volunteer your time or donate to support further relief efforts.
Occupy Sandy Recovery: This coalition (formed by members of Occupy Wall Street, 350.org, recovers.org and interoccupy.net) is coordinating volunteer efforts as well as accepting donations.
These are just a handful of charitable organizations that are working tirelessly to assist victims of Sandy. If you are able, please find a way to make a contribution. As a New Yorker, I can't express how amazing the outpouring of support has been and say thank you enough, but there is still a lot of work to do.