In the wake of Sandy

It happened during Irene, and now once again I am far away when disaster strikes the East Coast.  My thoughts and prayers are with my friends and family, and really everyone effected by this terrible storm, and the chaos it has left in it's wake.

I was in the Red Desert for work on the night that Sandy hit New York and New Jersey.  It was very surreal, sitting in the peace and quiet of the desert, listening to horrifying reports of the destruction on the radio.  I hate the feeling of helplessness such an experience causes, I have many friends who live and work in and around the New York Metropolitan area and I didn't even have a way to contact them from my campsite in the desert with no cell phone service.  You were all in my thoughts, and I am facebook stalking you all diligently, now that I have returned to civilization.  My heart goes out to the families of those who did not survive the storm, I can't even imagine what you are going through, I keep you in my heart daily.

Because once again I am unable to volunteer my time to relief effort (and my time is what I have the financial capacity to be the most generous with) I am hoping instead to inspire a few others to help.  Please check out the Corporation for National and Community Service Website, who provide an easy to understand list of ways that you can help through volunteering, monetary donations, donations of items, and donation of blood, compiled directly from FEMA.

A special thanks to all of the AmeriCorps Members donating their time and efforts to Sandy recovery, I have a great respect for the AmeriCorps program and all that it does for our communities, environment, and people.  Over 800 AmeriCorps members have been deployed to aid in the Sandy relief efforts, if you happen to see one out on the ground, please thank them and commend them on their service.  For more information about the involvement of AmeriCorps members check out the National Service Update. 

Here are some of the organizations I know of that you can support:

Karma Cat and Zen Dog Rescue Society

The Staten Island Marathon for Sandy Relief

The Steven Stiller Tunnels to Towers Foundation

You can also always donate through the National Donations Management Network or the Red Cross

Thanks for reading, and please give if you can, any and every amount is appreciated.