Tree down on the Upper East Side
It might seem as though I’ve been very quiet during the past few days, but if you follow me on Twitter and/or Facebook, you will see that I’ve been using my social media streams to communicate with others in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy to direct folks to resources, food, water, gas, and other things that they might need. I’ve also been checking on friends and family to see how they are and to offer a place to stay for those who don’t have power or access to their homes.
Water at the entrance to the FDR Drive
Fortunately, everyone seems to have come through safe and sound. Folks will have to empty out their refrigerators and clean up their homes and yards, but at least they are all right physically. Some of us took hits during last year’s Hurricane Irene, including my parents who lost power for several days. So, this year, while I was prepared for the worst, the damage was minor, despite my hearing construction equipment flying around outside of my building on Monday night. Today, there’s a steady hum of chainsaws and jackhammers going on outside of my window.
Debris on the FDR Drive (closed to traffic by the NYPD)
The food blogging community and food community in New York is amazing and has been sharing information and resources (especially about where to find food and water) to help get this mess cleaned up and to get the city in shape again. I saw a Tweet about an initiative launched by Creative Culinary and Jenn Cuisine to write up a post for today about a comfort food that you’d take to a friend or a neighbor and to tag posts for today with the hashtag #FBS4Sandy. They also ask that you donate to the relief efforts. I’m putting up this post with a list of additional resources and tangible ways that you can contribute to helping out at this time and in the months to come. I’m skipping over the comfort food recipe because, frankly, to be blunt about it, my friends who have had to evacuate from their homes and/or who don’t have power are not really going to be making those anytime soon.
Trash washed up on the East River shoreline
If you are are a regular reader of this website, you’ll know that I strongly support local food artisans, area markets, and the farmers markets in New York City. I don’t have enough words to write about these terrific people and what they contribute to the city. Right now, these folks need help, too, and may not be in a position to get loans or other types of assistance. They have lost wages, have had inventory destroyed, and have been unable to get to their clients during this time. Some of them have no idea when they will get back into their kitchens or storage units. Help them out. Shop at their on-line stores, drop by the local NYC markets to visit them and to buy from them, send your friends and family gifts for the holidays or just because. Also, get out there to the area markets on your next trip to the city. These people create jobs and opportunities for all New Yorkers and are an invaluable part of our community and way of life. For more about some of them, listen to Heritage Radio Network‘s series of interviews about the storm’s aftermath: http://soundcloud.com/heritageradionetwork/sets/hrn_on_sandy/
Construction site strewn down East 95th Street
Here’s a list of suggestions for places to go visit in the city this weekend, if you need to get out of your home and would like to support the city with your wallet.
Eater (also has list of where to make donations)
#EVopen (restaurants open in the East Village)
Greenmarkets (note that the Union Square one is moved to Madison Square Park)
Brooklyn Flea (Saturday and Sunday)
Smorgasburg (Saturday and Sunday)
Village Voice (list of various resources, including food distribution centers)
New Amsterdam Market is closed this weekend due to the hurricane damage, but they are hosting their Peck Slip Pickle Festival next weekend. Also, New York Mouth is donating a portion of the proceeds from these gift packs to Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.
Here’s a partial list of other ways that you can help out with the relief efforts or get help if you need it. I am not endorsing one organization, website or company over another. The best way to find out what they need is to follow them on Facebook and/or Twitter, which seems to be being updated more frequently than their websites.
American Red Cross (http://www.redcross.org/news/press-release/Massive-Red-Cross-Relief-Response-Spans-Ten-States)
Brokelyn (http://brokelyn.com/?s=sandy) – various resources
Brooklyn Based (http://brooklynbased.net/?s=sandy) – various resources
Brooklyn Exposed (http://brooklynexposed.com/food-drink/entry/volunteering-during-hurricane-sandy-in-brooklyn-and-nyc/) – various resources
Citymeals-on-Wheels (http://www.citymeals.org/events-and-news/10-29-2012/citymeals-responds-to-hurricane-sandy) – for a list of resources to access if you need food, water, food stamps, click here
Food Systems Network NYC (http://foodsystemsnyc.org/announcement/post-sandy-volunteer-donation-opportunities)
Food + Tech Connect (http://www.foodtechconnect.com/blog/2012/11/02/sandy-recovery-where-eaters-techies-can-donate-volunteer-this-weekend/)
Manhattan User’s Guide (http://manhattanusersguide.com/) – lists various resources
NYC.gov (http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycservice/home.html) – including Parks Department clean-up opportunities
New York Food Truck Association (with JetBlue setting up food trucks to feed people)
New York Irish Center (http://nyirish.org/) – Specifically helping out with Breezy Point/The Rockaways
Restore Red Hook – taking funds for businesses that were in a particularly hard-hit area of Brooklyn
The Brooklyn Kitchen/The Meat Hook (http://www.thebrooklynkitchen.com/7982/hurricane-sandy-update/) – Specifically helping out with Breezy Point/The Rockaways
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