How to Help Hurricane Sandy Victims Now

It’s been almost two weeks since Sandy but New York is not back to normal. Gas rationing is in effect and, most importantly, neighbors are still very much in need of help. Here are ways to put your time and resources to the best possible use.

• #ConeyRecovers Volunteer Opportunities
This Saturday, November 10, volunteers will go to Coney Island to clean up storm damage, distribute supplies to storm victims and reach out to affect residents and business. You can sign up here. The day will begin at 9 am. Please come to Tom’s Restaurant, located on the Boardwalk at the end of Stillwell Avenue (one block from the Coney Island-Stillwell Ave subway terminal), to sign in and get your volunteer assignment. Children are welcome.

Volunteers should dress warmly, wear sturdy footwear or boots and bring work gloves. If you can, bring your own flashlight (with extra batteries); a backpack; clean up tools such as a shovel, outdoor broom, contractor bags, etc; and snacks & water for yourself for the day.

Donation requests for distribution to residents: School supplies, blankets, canned or nonperishable goods, individually wrapped sandwiches, Cceaning supplies, toilet paper and heavy duty contractor trash bags. Please note that bathroom access on site will be very limited. Check MTA’s website for the easiest route to get to Coney Island.

• Midwood High School is accepting donations
Assemblywoman Rhoda Jacobs and Midwood High School are accepting donations of the following supplies: Flashlights, D batteries, buckets, mops, work gloves, rubber gloves, towels, industrial garbage bags (often called compactor bags), chapstick, hygiene products, baby wipes, gift cards, and more; they are not accepting clothes at this time. Donations can be dropped off at Assemblywoman Jacobs’ District Office (2294 Nostrand Avenue between Avenues I and J), Monday-Friday from 9-5 PM or at Midwood (2839 Bedford Avenue) during school hours. Financial donations can also be made out as checks to the Midwood High School Parents Association. Note: Assemblywoman Jacobs’ District Office is closed for Veteran’s Day on Monday Nov. 12.

• Work in Brighton Beach and Far Rockaway
JASA is looking for people who can climb stairs in Brighton Beach and Far Rockway during the day, generally between the hours of 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM. Contact ashapiro@jasa.org or Volunteer@jasa.org to get involved.

• The Park Slope Armory needs volunteers
The Park Slope Armory (15th Street and 8th Avenue) needs volunteers all day long but especially in the evening and overnight and will accept volunteers who can contribute two hours of more of their time. The Armory is a special needs shelter that is housing residence of 3 nursing homes/ assisted living facilities. The main volunteer tasks are to walk around and talk to the seniors, hand out meals, sort donations, and assist with toileting. Just show up with your ID. The Armory is also accepting volunteers who can provide music and art activities. If you would like to run an entertainment activity, email activitiesandwellness@gmail.com. If you can’t volunteer you can still help out. The Armory has been asking for donations of store bought pre-made food. Please consider ordering some food for these volunteers and workers from a local restaurant. The address for deliveries is The Armory 361 15th Street.

• Prepare hot food for the Rockaways
Unlocal needs people who can prepare hot food for people living in the Rockaways, and they need it first thing in the morning, any day. People are distributing food and supplies on street corners between Beach 113th Street and Beach 20th Street; there are no indoor locations yet. Email organizers@596acres.org for more details on how to help, or click here to find out about other needs Unlocal has identified in the Rockaways.

• Occupy Sandy
According to the organizers of Occupy Sandy, food is needed in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Sunset Park and Clinton Hill, and can be brought to either Jacobi Church, at 5406 4th Avenue, or 520 Clinton Avenue. Needed food items include: meat, chicken, ground beef, vegetables, canned goods, soups, dry goods and ready to eat food such as cereal, power bars, granola, crackers, etc.

• Open your home to Hurricane victims
Airbnb is now enabling people to offer space to those in need – absolutely free. People who wish to share their space at no cost to guests can sign up immediately. Airbnb Customer Service will be on hand to help any hosts with questions and issues. People who have need of shelter can then access these free spaces via the Donated Sandy Housing List. Airbnb will recoup no fees from these free listings.

• Volunteer Opportunity for kids age 10+
Next Monday, November 12 is the Veterans Day public school holiday and another opportunity for kids to help with important relief work. Kids are needed to do the critical task of sorting and organizing the loads of generously donated goods at the OccupySandy distribution hubs. Beam Center will be leading groups of kids aged 10+ to help with the relief effort at two locations in Brooklyn, St. Jacobi Church on 4th Avenue and Church of St. Luke and St. Matthew on Clinton Avenue.

As many parents will have to go to work on Veterans Day, Beam Center’s staff will accompany and supervise the kid volunteers in cooperation with the OccupySandy team. Kids should arrive at our office at 51 Bergen Street in Brooklyn at 8AM on Monday, November 12. We will travel by subway to the hubs and return at 3pm.

Parents, sign your kids up here. Expect to be at the volunteer locations at 9am. Let the organizers know if you’d like to meet them there. If you would like to get your kid’s school involved, please have them contact the organizers or connect them to the right person at the school.

• Rockaway Relief
Also on Saturday, volunteers are being bused to the Rockaways by the Transit Forward Coalition. You can find information here.

• Masbia

Contact www.masbia.org to donate and volunteer to support this organization that has been feeding so many since the hurricane hit. Their Flatbush location is on Coney Island Avenue and Avenue J but, as you can see from the video above, they’ve been working hard all over the place.

If you have more information, let us know in the comments or email us at ditmasparkcorner@gmail.com.

Photo: Transit Forward Coalition volunteers distributing food and supplies.