Help New York Respond to Hurricane Sandy

Information by buildOn’s Stephanie Gilman, New York Regional Manager.

This week Superstorm Sandy left large parts of the East Coast flooded and in the dark, and took 18 lives in New York.

There are currently no organized efforts for hurricane relief with buildOn’s students because many organizations don’t accept youth for this type of volunteering; and New York’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that the city’s schools would be closed for the rest of the week. However, our students in New York will be helping The Bronx is Blooming, Catholic Charities and Part of the Solution soup kitchen with post-hurricane service this Saturday. We are also organizing service in Red Hook, a Brooklyn neighborhood suffered seriously flooding, with Red Hook Neighborhood Recovers.

Several of buildOn’s service partners in New York could use your help! If you are in New York, here are some ways you can help:

• Look for hurricane shelters here.
• Visit NYC Service for more information on where you can volunteer, or email nycservice@cityhall.nyc.gov with your name, email address and borough to sign up for volunteer opportunities.
• If you’re over the age of 16, you can volunteer with the American Red Cross in New York.
• Offer volunteer skills and donation items at Red Hook Neighborhood Recovers. Call (347) 464-9269, email support@recovers.org or tweet @recovers_org to get set up.
• Jews for Racial and Economic Justice have compiled a great list of other ways you can help this week.