There are no words. As a Point Pleasant resident, I can honestly say that I’ve never seen or experienced anything like the devastating storm that was Sandy, an ironically named hurricane that treated our beaches so cruelly. For those of you who took the brunt of the carnage, those residents of Bay Head and Mantoloking, Chadwick Beach and Long Beach Island, and Sayreville, our hearts and prayers go out to you. For the fortunate ones who survived the surge and wind and rain with minimal damage, you know how lucky you are. As of this writing, in the first week of November, power is slowly being restored to communities across the state. And with that restoration of our basic services – light, heat, coffee makers – comes television. For the first time, we saw with our own eyes the horror of this perfect storm. We witnessed death and destruction on a level we have only seen in the movies.
Fortunately, there are plenty of organizations looking to provide relief from Sandy that will accept contributions from readers like you. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it’s a good place to start doing some good.
The American Red Cross – They’re one of the leading charitable institutions with several local branches in the area. The link goes to their donation page should you have a specific amount in mind. You can also donate $10 to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by texting REDCROSS to 90999 on your mobile phone. Additionally, you’ll want to check your local branch for any specific information about volunteering and other ways to help. For example, the Jersey Coast chapter is interested in volunteers.
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey – The Community FoodBank of NJ has their own section for Sandy Relief and donation efforts. You can donate through their website, or you can donate $10 via mobile by texting FEEDNJ to 80888. They also have a specific list of food items they’re looking for, so if you’re able to contribute to that list and get to their drop-off location, then you can do that too.
The Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund – This is the fund Governor Chris Christie announced would be formed for relief efforts for the state. It is now up and running, with several organizations and individuals already making contributions.
The Blood Center of New Jersey – After Sandy, there’s a blood shortage according to the NJBC. Therefore, there are multiple places you can donate a pint of blood throughout the state.
I will say if you are unsure about an organization, then you can look them up on Charity Navigator to check into them. They have a list specifically set up for Sandy relief efforts, it should be updated in the coming days as some funds and groups may be too new to be recognized just yet. I’d also recommend that you check out your local community when you get a chance. Your local community centers, schools, businesses, places of worship, and/or town/city efforts may be helping out in their own specific ways.
From all of us here at eNJoynj.com, God bless you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.