As you may have noticed from yesterdays post, Sandy and it’s path of destruction are weighing heavily on me. Perhaps it’s because I have friends that have lived through it and are trying to get back to a semblance of normalcy and yet five days on are not making much progress.
Or maybe it is because each time I see the news reports I see the faces of agony, fear and dare I say hopelessness?
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Could it be that I am overwhelmed because we live in America and we are supposed to be able to fix anything(and often try), and yet 5 days later, people who are without food and water are now eating garbage!!
Or could it be because this morning I saw photos of huge generators in Central Park to warm the NYC Marathon participants, and media. Or the images of two blocks of apples, pretzels, water and other food for marathon participants? The marathon FYI was to begin in Staten Island, just blocks from the area that was the hardest hit!
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I might add that just across the water there is no generator to warm these people, no pretzels to snack on and no facilities.
Yes, yes, I know the marathon brings in $350 million dollars to the city. The people who have no food, no water, no heat (it is 40 degrees) and are getting thrown out of the hotels (where they are already being charged as much as 75% more than the day before the storm hit) to make room for the marathoners don’t give a dam!
Thank God the voices of reason, or perhaps it is was outcry from around the world, made people realize that it was a stupid, bad idea.
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Someone is making it very difficult for me and perhaps more importantly the people who are the hardest hit to have HOPE!
I want to thank you all for your suggestions of organizations to donate money and goods. I have done that. But I feel like there is more I can do? I just do not know what.
I would love to know if you know of any clubs, churches or any other organization that is doing something to help.
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In the meantime, to all those people that are suffering, bloggers, friends and strangers, I and so many others care about you and we are thinking of you, praying for your welfare and doing whatever we can to help.
Whatever you do…do not loose HOPE!
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I hope you have a good weekend, and thank you for listening to me vent, rant and cry out from my soap box. I appreciate it.
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VERY well said…I just posted a blog and mentioned giving to the Red Cross because I also am not aware of other groups to donate to. As soon as my life resumes to some sense of normalcy, I would like to go volunteer on Staten Island. These are hardworking New Yorkers and deserve all the help they need!
We finally have electricity on after five days of darkness but we're lucky we only have trees down and a mess to clean up. We still have one another and our home. My husband works in NYC during the week but that's off for the next several weeks so in the meantime he and many others have headed into the city to help start putting things back together. Like you I don't know of any other group then Red Cross to donate to and I hope everyone pitches in to help since help is so slow getting to Staten Island.
XXX
Debra~
YES, Irina and I have talked about how helpless we feel here, not knowing what to do….but looking into an organization where we can donate to would be great. I have a dear blogger friend who was directly hit by this and I have only heard from her once; she has so much clean up to do, it is unfathomable. HUGS TO YOU and I am so glad that YOU are safe! Anita
Hi, Elizabeth – Thank you for sharing this post. I know you have many readers and a loyal following. Your message and encouragement will be heard beyond blogland. I'm currently in Sweden, and everyone has been so kind and caring….asking about Sandy.
Take care,
Loi
I hear you, dear friend.
Hi Elizabeth – I returned last night from our extended trip as a result of eight days without power, followed by the snowstorm and I just got my internet back this afternoon. Now that I can "surf" the web a bit, I discovered The Mayor's Fund (https://www.nyc.gov/html/fund/html/donate/donate.shtml) through the City of New York. They are saying 100% of the funds will go to hurricane relief. Have a great weekend!!