Congregation Rodeph Sholom

Hurricane Sandy: How to Help

Our Upper West Side Community truly is the best.  We have received so many emails, phone calls, and Facebook posts asking how you can help in the recovery efforts after Hurricane Sandy.  As always, everyone’s hearts are in just the right place. At this point in time, the needs are changing hour by hour. Here are a few ways you can help now:

Current Opportunities

• Congregation Rodeph Sholom is a donation drop off center and we are continuously in need of batteries and heavy duty cleaning supplies. If you would like to make a donation, please drop off your items at Congregation Rodeph Sholom.

• Occupy Sandy created an online hub to provide ongoing updates and information about relief efforts in neighborhoods most affected by Hurricane Sandy, and you can visit Occupy Judaism’s Facebook page for opportunities in the Jewish community.
• NECHAMA: Register to volunteer with NECHAMA in their on-the-ground work in New York and New Jersey, or donate to support their on-the-ground efforts here. Check the Red Hook Initiative’s website daily for volunteer opportunities and acceptable donations.The UJA-Federation has a number of volunteer opportunities. Click here for more information.
• Lower East Side Recovers: If you’re a New York resident who did not get impacted by the storm, this site offers ways you can help locally.  You can also find ways to help in the five boroughs via Red Hook Recovers, Staten Island Recovers, and through local Patch sites such as here and here.
• New York Cares: Register to volunteer with the cleanup at New York Cares.
• American Red Cross: Register to help at a Red Cross shelter, where thousands of people displaced from their apartments and homes are currently staying.  You can also click here for more information about donating blood. (Please note that this opportunity isn’t good for kids; they need adult help!)
• Tunnel to Towers Foundation – Taking donations for Staten Island Hurricane Relief.
• Make the Road New York: Please donate supplies to help Sandy victims. Please drop off at our offices any non-perishable foods, warm clothes, blankets, diapers, soap, flashlights — ANYTHING useful to a family in need.
• Google Map Recovery Efforts - Opportunities in NYC region to volunteer in assisting with hurricane recovery efforts.
• New York Says Thank You Foundation - Accepting donations for Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts.
• If you’re able to and interested in donating money, think about donating to  the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, the Union for Reform Judaism’s Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund, or the American Red Cross. You may also make a donation to Rodeph Sholom’s Project Kehila, helping the congregation purchase items of immediate need such as food, water, batteries, and blankets for our neighbors in parts of our community hard hit by Hurricane Sandy .  In addition, the Project Kehila steering committee will select specific projects that will be the focus of our donations as they become known. Click here to give.

Education Material

• Berman Jewish Policy Archive - Hurricane Sandy
• Discovery Education - Hurricane!
• Edutopia - 8 Classroom Resources to Help Teach about Hurricane Sandy
• Jewish Education Center of Cleveland - Responding to Crisis
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Hurricanes
• NY Times - Teaching Hurricane Sandy: Ideas and Resources
• NY Times - What Are Your Experiences With Severe Weather?
• NY Times - The First Day in the Classroom, Post-Sandy
• Phorum 5 - After the Storm
• Scholastic - Weather Watch