Sandy Relief 

Twenty-one thousand displaced and homeless on Staten Island. Hundreds living in shelters.  Thousands of meals being given out breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  People living in tents on the beach and in homes with no running water, heat, or electricity.  This was NOT three months ago.  This was not three weeks ago.  This was three days ago when Pastor Taylor and I traveled to Staten Island to meet with a pastor friend and her employees who head Project Hospitality in Staten Island and to see how we could help.  What follows are some ideas we will be working towards.  Read it as a prayer asking God where you are being called (PLEASE read it all!).

Project Hospitality and HRC Sandy Relief Partnership

 1.        HRC will be an emergency contact for Project Hospitality.  We will get the reports (like below) and see what we can do...

Thea's house was flooded very badly in Sandy - she was able to escape from her home and was sleeping in a variety of shelters and in a car. She only recently got back electricity and heat and is living in her home again now. We just got her some badly needed mold remediation services. She is 59 and lives a very secluded lifestyle. Her needs: someone to listen to her story and provide trauma counseling, plumbing (she seemed to indicate that she doesn't have a working toilet), new furniture and appliances.

Paul is an older gentleman suffering with multiple health problems, including cancer. His son is taking care of him. Their house was flooded in the storm. They had to swim to safety and feel lucky to be alive. He lost his car, washer/dryer, refrigerator/freezer, and all of their furniture/belongings on the first floor. They are having trouble getting groceries because of the loss of their vehicles (we are delivering them food tomorrow). I'm sure he would greatly appreciate any financial assistance or for your network to provide new/gently used appliances and furniture.

 2.      Send volunteers down once a week until the end of September!!!  These will be groups of five or more; three of the four weeks will be "non skilled" work.

Be to Staten Island by 9:00 a.m. and return that evening.   We get there, they have the work to do.  Days are dependent on group availability. 

I AM LOOKING FOR AT LEAST 32 PEOPLE TO SAY "YES, I CAN FIND 5 FOLKS TO HEAD DOWN AND HELP."  That is 162 volunteer days.  Just think if we got 2 groups a week? 

Small Groups, Boy Scout/Girl Scout Troups, youth groups, co-workers, CONSISTORY...

Like planning a party - you get the people, we will set the date, and Project Hospitality will set up the work!!!

 3.      Buy as much sheet rock as we can!!!!!!

"Where to Turn" is a trusted non-profit organization on Staten Island led by a local community leaders. They recently received a grant from the Robinhood Foundation for $30,000 to provide sheet rock to one-hundred households. They just opened up the online application - the first 100 to apply will each get 30 pieces of sheetrock. I think this would be a very worthy initiative to raise additional funds.   I'm certain that many more than 100 people will apply for this. Your financial contribution would go toward providing additional families with one of the most in-demand resources through an established application process and trusted service provider.

This is but the start...Please let me know what you are ready to do!

Until Next Time . . . Mark