Having lived in the Bayshore area of New Jersey all my life, I feel it safe to say that we East Coasters are used to freakish weather, experiencing all 4 seasons, sometimes ALL in the same day.
The destruction of Hurricane Sandy was unprecedented -- leaving an astounding number of my neighbors homeless or, like us, without power for days -- there are still nearly a million folks still without power.
I posted our experience riding through super storm Sandy on my personal blog, yesterday.
Today, I would like to share with you the ongoing awesome relief efforts here in Jersey and ways in which you can help the victims of Hurricane Sandy:
My friends at Kelloggs have committed $500,000 to support Hurricane Sandy relief: this donation includes a $250,000 contribution to the American Red Cross and a donation of $250,000 worth of food to Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief charity.
Tide Loads of Hope provides relief by means of a mobile laundromat: one truck and a fleet of vans house over 32 energy-efficient washers and dryers that are capable of cleaning over 300 loads of laundry every day. On November 3rd, these awesome folks pulled into Eatontown, NJ and washed, dried and folded 2 loads of clothes, per family, for free.
For the most up-to-date Loads of Hope location information: you can go ahead and check out their Facebook status or Twitter @TideloadsofHope.
HOW CAN YOU DONATE TO SANDY RELIEF HERE IN JERSEY?
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey: is partnering with the New Jersey Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster, the Red Cross, and Salvation Army to deliver food to displaced families – up to 100,000 pounds of food per day.
Make a $10 donation by text-messaging the word FEEDNJ to 80888. They are also accepting donations of depleted food supplies, including meals in a can, canned tuna, peanut butter, granola bars, diapers, and baby food.
The NJ Volunteer Emergency Response Hotline is 1-800-JERSEY-7 (1-800-537-7397) and was activated 10.29.12.
Volunteer New Jersey Agencies looking for volunteers may register their needs, and volunteers willing to assist in relief efforts, may search for opportunities at VolunteerNewJersey.org: a statewide database is maintained by The Association of New Jersey Volunteer Centers and the Governor's Office of Volunteerism.
The Salvation Army is looking for volunteers to assist in Hurricane Recovery efforts throughout the state: Find out more.
There is still SO MUCH work to be done. Our infrastructure has changed drastically (mostly in the worst possible ways imaginable) so, right now, the thought of rebuilding 127 miles of total and absolute destruction may very well be...well...unthinkable.
However, there was a time when folks were afraid to admit that they are from Jersey: fuhghettaboutit, not anymore.
Keep strong, Jersey...YO!!!
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