Helping Out After Sandy
I was fortunate enough to be one of the few around Summit whose home was unscathed by Sandy. My family has opened up our home to friends and neighbors in need of a hot shower, food or warmth. Last week I volunteered at the shelter at Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School. On Halloween, there were 1300 residents who signed in at the shelter at Summit Middle School and on Thursday when I left at night, there had been close to 1275 people who signed into the shelter that day. I've seen the frazzled faces sitting in the long gas station lines. I've tried to get the word out that people should visit Twitter and type in #NJGAS and # NJOPEN. It will give you a litany of gas stations and other open businesses in NJ.
What I've done isn't much but if collectively we all do a little, it will make a substantial difference. Does anyone else have any thoughts, tips or suggestions for helping Summit, Union County and the rest of New Jersey through the aftermath of Sandy?
Marianne Kranz
7:38 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012
SAGE Eldercare at 290 Broad Street in Summit needs volunteers to deliver Meals on Wheels and help shop for some of our homebound people. Please call us at 908-273-5554. We are also accepting food donations: peanut butter, soup, tuna, crackers, snack size fruit, juice, granola bars, etc. In fact, you can donate any food to us and we share it with Loaves and Fishes at St. Theresa's, SHIP at the Calvary Church and Bridges. You can also call those 3 organizations directly to see other ways you can help.
And please, please check on your elderly or disabled neighbors. If they don't have power and heat please urge them to leave. There are many who can help get them someplace warm.
Patrick Nash
9:48 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Thanks Marianne for the great tip to help locally. I also came across this website to help out people on the Jersey Shore: http://www.shorehelpers.com/