nonprofits

Hurricane Sandy Volunteer Opportunities

November 02, 2012 · By Sloane Davidson, Founder and CEO, Hello Neighbor

It's Friday which means it's been over four days since lower Manhattan had power. At last count 730,000 New Yorkers were without power and that's just around New York but doesn't include New Jersey, Rhode Island or the other states that were affected by Hurricane Sandy.

I have been looking for volunteer opportunities and found quite a few across the web but not everything one place. So I have pulled below lots of different ways to help. If you know of more leave them in the comments or I'll keep adding to this as recovery goes on.

From the office of the Public Advocate. Sign up for updates HERE.

Brooklyn

Queens

Manhattan

Bronx

From recovers.org:

Here is a summary of where you are needed on the Lower East Side today:

From OccupySandy:

These are all drop-off centers if you have food, water, generators, etc.

Astoria (items dropped in Astoria will be delivered to the Rockaways)

Location 1: 23-74 38th Street (closed for the night, MIGHT reopen tomorrow, please check back here for updates) Contact Leni: (347) 762-1648

Location 2: 33-33 87th St btw Northern Blvd and 34th Ave (closes 9pm) Contact Neha: (917) 392-9708

Chinatown (open Nov 1, 10am-5pm) CAAAV 46 Hester St Frnt A (212) 473-6485 justice@caaav.org - email provided, but best to just show up to help or bring supplies!

Specific Requests in Chinatown: Water bottles C, D, AA, AAA batteries (and one 9 volt battery) Food (hot at lunch, non-perishable/bread/cookies) Some bottles of Ensure (Glucerna shake) for the elderly, vitamins for the elderly Generator (for shelter at 350 Grand St, Seward Park High School)

Rockaway and Far Rockaway Location 1: Firehouse on 59th street across from the train station. contact person: Jean Dupont9179755623

Location 2: Veggie Island 96th Street and Rockaway Beach Blvd.

Location 3: Store Front Community Center B113 and Rockaway Blvd

Specific Requests in Rockaway and Far Rockaway (starred ones are most urgent): * Propane grille or camping style oven * Plates, cups, forks, bowls, spoons, etc * blankets, jackets, gloves, hats, anything to keep folks warm * cleaning supplies - buckets, squeegies, mops, bleach * masks, gloves for cleaning * socks * water * tarps * garbage bags boots electric stove gas stove satellite phones big paper, tape, markers pens, paper, notepads generators pumps camping tables gasoline gasoline containers percolator fire extinguishers walkie talkies i9 tablets projector/illuminator

Fort Green/Clinton Hill 45 Waverly Avenue just off of Park Ave in Fort Green/Clinton Hill (Hours for Nov 1: 10am-6pm)

Park Slope New Hope Church 120/122 16th St btw 4th and 5th ave Contact: Pastor Craig: (718) 768-5275

Red Hook The Red Hook Initiative 767 Hicks Street Contact: Mariya (347) 770-1528 (but please just show up!)

Specific Requests in Redhook: (Will be updated at redhook.recovers.org prepared food (including food for children) batteries flashlights power strips toiletries (including toilet paper and paper towels) utensils such as spoons and bowls jugs of water

Bay Ridge Residence 9108 Colonial Rd. Brooklyn 11209 #E9

Sunset Park St. Jacobi Church 5406 4th Ave Contact: Ronnie 646-353-5194

Specific Requests in Sunset Park: steamtable foil pans full or half size w lids blankets cleaning supplies tin foil saran wrap

Williamsburg (starting Nov 1, 10am) Residence 306 Leonard St, apt J1 (btwn Conselyea and Metropolitan) Contact: Jennifer (917) 586-4153

Bed-stuy Residence 136 Jefferson Ave, apt 2 11216

East Billyburg (Beginning Thursday Nov 1 at 12 noon) House of Yes 342 Maujer st Contact: Kae Burke (525)217-7209

Downtown Brooklyn NYCC 2-4 Nevins Street, 2nd Floor

Harlem Location 1: Residence 47 saint nicholas avenue #4d btw 112 and 113

Location 2: Residence 938 st Nicholas ave # 25 at corner of 157th and st Nicholas ave.

Lower East Side

Location 1 The Bowery Mission 45-51 Ave D 212-777-3424 contact: Claude Nelson or any "operations manager" on duty. they're open 24/7 and in need of prepared foods, a generator and anything else you can offer.

Location 2 (open 11/1 3pm-6pm and 11/2 12pm-6pm) Goles 169 Ave. B btwn 10th and 11th

Specific Requests at Lower East Side: Generator (Requested at Bowery) Prepared Foods (Requested at Bowery) flashlights (Requested at GOLES) batteries (AA, AAA, D) (Requested at GOLES) non perishable food (Requested at GOLES) candles (Requested at GOLES) first aid kits (Requested at GOLES) vehicles or bikes with trailers (to bring supplies around) (Requested at GOLES)

Upper East Side (drop off center for Rockaway/Breezy Point/Broad Channel donations) Saloon York Ave between 83rd and 84th.

From Stephanie Diamond's Listing Project:

From New York Tech MeetUp and Gary's Guide: *Here are a few ways you can get involved in the recovery process ...... *

Hurricane Hacker is also doing a great job of connecting people online: http://www.hurricanehackers.com/

The Red Cross expects this to be a large and costly relief response across several states, one that continues for several days, and they need your help now as they work on opening up and maintaining many shelters for those who were forced to evacuate their homes. So donate to or volunteer for the Red Cross.

There are a few recovery organizing sites that allow people to offer/request assistance, and are coordinated by the folks at Occupy NYC and community organizations on the ground including Lower East Side Recovers and Astoria Recovers, Red Hook Recovers and Staten Island Recovers.

You can sign up to volunteer at the NYC Public Advocate's Office.

Craig Newmark of Craigslist and CraigConnects is matching the next $25K in donations to help Hurricane Sandy relief efforts and United Airlines Foundation will contribute upto $50,000 to match donations to the American Red Cross, Feeding America or AmeriCares.

You can also donate blood via the NY Blood Center.

And the NY Tech Meetup and New Work City are organizing volunteers with technology skills to help with relief efforts and help New York-area businesses and organizations get their technology back up and running after Hurricane Sandy. Here is the signup form.

Us New Yorkers are a resilient lot and together we'll get through this!

Update (1:23pm)

Thanks Jessica Kirkwood for these additions from NYC Serve:

Do you want to Donate?

Those who wish to give cash donations to assist New Yorkers suffered damage from Hurricane Sandy visit the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City.

Those who wish to donate goods and services should visit Aidmatrix.

Do you want to Volunteer?

Those who wish to volunteer in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy click here. As opportunities arise we will contact you.

New York needs your BLANK

Many of New York City’s parks and playgrounds were impacted by Hurricane Sandy. If you would like to volunteer with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation to aid in clean up and recovery, please review the list of parks and playgrounds below that are in need of assistance this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Click the links below to sign up in your borough and be sure to check back for updates on other parks in need of volunteers!

Bronx Pelham Bay Nature Center Van Cortlandt Park Click here to volunteer in the Bronx

Queens Brookville Park Baisley Pond Park Click here to volunteer in Queens

*Manhattan *Annunciation Park Anne Loftus Playground Click here to volunteer in Manhattan

From Reena De Asis

@FoodBank4NYC Community Kitchen & Pantry, 252 W. 116th St., open now w/ emergency pantry bags & will serve meals 2-4pm #sandy