Love for Red Hook

People gathering to split up into groups and deliver lights to people without power.

It's absolutely bananas outside. My roommate and I decided we were going to go down to the Red Hook Initiative to volunteer. There are still thousands of people that don't have power there. We decided to swing by the Park Slope Armory first. We walked into the space and it was filled with hospital beds. We were told they had enough volunteers for the moment but to come back at 8 and there would probably be spots.

We made our way to Red Hook and were immediately astounded by the insane number of cars waiting for gas. One woman saw me taking a picture and yelled, "Hey! You taking a picture of all us stupid people waiting for gas?" I went over and talked with her, and she said she had been waiting for hours. They said there might be gas at 4, but no one knew. They were waiting on the chance it might be true. If you guys don't know, we are currently in a gas crisis. Cars can only get $20 of gas on alternating days according to their license plate number.

Look left, huge line......                                                               Look right, front of line waiting for gas

We continued walking to Hicks Street and saw the make shift medical center with people running all over the place, piles of donations being sorted in the back. Everything was so crazy we couldn't find the right place to sign up, so we continued walking.

The Red Hook Initiative is an organization that helps educate adults in the area and provide resources to the people living in the projects there. They were inundated with people and donations. The organizer of the volunteering campaign said it was being manned by volunteers and funded by individual and private donations. They were not prepared for the outpouring of money, clothes, food, and generally just attention that the center was providing. She said when the power went out, they were the only ones with light, so people just started showing up. Cars were dropping off trays of home made food. People from the projects were sifting through bags of donated clothes. Volunteers flooded the streets. We were told 13 groups of 4 were being dispersed throughout the neighborhood to distribute flashlights and information about assistance. We missed the first wave and found it would be at least 2 hours before the next shipment of lights came in that would need to go out.


We left and decided the best way to help people out here was with money. They didn't need bags of clothes, there was already too much. They had bodies to go between buildings. At this point, they needed supplies. Food. Blankets. And the best way to purchase and transport those items would be to give money to organizations with cars and trucks that could distribute what the centers needed.

I am going to get on a shuttle bus tomorrow to go out to The Rockaways to help dig cars out of dirt and clean up neighborhoods that were destroyed. Stay tuned for more.

How you can help me help others!

I'm going to an event tomorrow sponsored by a co-ed sports organization here in the city. They are setting up stations for people to come and donate money and materials directly to the people suffering on Staten Island, Breezy Point, Red Hook, and other neighborhoods that are destroyed.

http://www.facebook.com/events/486198398078142/

My plan: I am going to go buy a handful of the items on this list. I plan on getting some flashlights, hats, gloves, scarves, plates, utensils, blankets from my apartment, and water. I am to trek from Brooklyn tomorrow to Manhattan (which, don't worry, I will blog about with ridiculous pictures of what this is going to be like for me).

What you can do: 

1. Meet me there to donate money or supplies.

2. Send money directly to The Red Cross.

3. You can send money directly to me so I can buy supplies tomorrow. Just message me, let me know how much you want to contribute, and I will buy supplies for you. Drop and check in the mail whenever. I'll send you pictures of what I buy in your honor with your donations and drop them tomorrow at the event above. Just let me know if you want to contribute before tomorrow so I know if I have additional funds to buy items.

Here's what my friend says The Red Cross needs:

The event will be at the BLARNEY STONE on Eighth Ave and 31st St. in Manhattan. We will be UPSTAIRS.
In terms of physical goods, we specifically need:
*** blankets, jackets, gloves, hats, anything to keep folks warm
*** batteries
*** cleaning supplies
*** candles and lanterns, flashlights
*** baby supplies
* Plates, cups, forks, bowls, spoons, etc
* masks, gloves for cleaning
* socks
* water
* garbage bags
* boots
* Ensure, canned goods, non-perishable foods

A few things to remember:
-Please make sure any clothing donations are WARM clothes (coats, sweaters, gloves, etc)
-We're also really in need of things like batteries, flashlights, baby supplies, etc. Please see the full list in the description for other ideas
-Some new requests from clean up locations are "work gloves, contractor-strength garbage bags, bubble-wrap, and supplies to help with the cleanup"

-Please make sure that if you're donating any toiletries, socks, underwear, or personal items that they're NEW
-We'll be working at the event, sorting goods, but (as you can see below) keeping things organized when you drop is very much appreciated.

Check donations can be made to "The American Red Cross in Greater New York".

And lastly, PLEASE spread the word! Complete strangers are more than welcome so pass this event along!

Marathon is Canceled

The mayor has decided to cancel the race, even though he doesn't think that it would divert resources. It sounds like he's doing it because it's so controversial. He doesn't want a cloud to hang over the event. Why couldn't he say something more intelligent or sympathetic? Feels like he's blaming us for being pissed it's happening.

Read the NYTimes article here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/03/sports/new-york-city-marathon-will-not-be-held-sunday.html?emc=na

I think my friend Donal from Ireland said it best when he gave his list as to why it's a bad idea to have the race. Bloomberg could have addressed any of the city's concerns. I'd like to know what he'd say to Donal's post here:

"Not going to be a popular comment with my running friends but I'll say it. 
Bloomberg's decision to go ahead with the marathon is moronic.
1. People who are displaced are now being thrown out of their hotel rooms to make way for incoming participants.
2. Staten Island is destroyed.
3. Power coming back to a lot of people tonight but people like me won't have power for up to a week as the electric

al systems in our buildings are wrecked, can I check into a hotel? Can I bollocks! A cot in a shelter next to discharged psychiatric patients is the other option.
4. As of this minute 30% of hotel rooms in the city have no power.
5. Massive amounts of flights have been cancelled for people coming in and going out. People can't get in to participate, not to mention Amtrak etc.
6. Half the city will be without water even after the weekend due to issues with the steam system. Where are runners supposed to shower.
7. Massive fuel shortages. In addition food shortages because delivery trucks and shipments can't get in.
8. Loads of people who evacuated want to come back to the city and guess what? The fucking roads will be closed.
9. The Mayor wants to say that everything has returned to normal. No it hasn't you fucking prick, you can't brush the rest of us under the carpet to satisfy the race sponsors!

Rant over, thank you Mr. Twat of a Mayor.

Zone B."

Volunteering Resource

Why hasn't anyone created a resource for people in Manhattan to identify opportunities to volunteer??? Lots of sites are saying the best way to give in through donations. If that is something you are interested it, go to Red Cross and give a monetary contribution directly:
http://www.redcross.org/charitable-donations


Help Seniors Without Power (Manhattan)
http://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp1232041.jsp

Multiple volunteering centers at evacuation shelters in Park Slope: NY College of Technology, Brooklyn Technical HS, John J. HS, IS 136, PS 249, IS 187, FDR High School.
http://parkslope.patch.com/articles/park-slope-armory-looking-for-volunteers-for-sandy-evacuees
More evacuation centers needing assistance.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/hurricane_shelters.html


Data base of volunteering by neighborhood:
http://brokelyn.com/where-to-volunteer-this-weekend/

Red Hook Initiative has a twitter feed that people can report to posting volunteering needs.
http://twitter.com/rhookinitiative
Red Hook needs money directly too, so if you're interested in that, donate directly to them. They are set on man power and now need money to continue providing prepared food, candles, cooking utensils, water, flashlights, batteries and more to hurricane victims.
http://www.rhicenter.org/index.html


Brooklyn Waterfront Cleanup via Facebook. RSVP to this email address: bwacinfo@aol.com
https://www.facebook.com/BWAC.ART

Click on your borough, fill out a form, and volunteering sites will pop up:
http://www.timeout.com/newyork/own-this-city-blog/how-to-help-in-new-york-city-after-hurricane-sandy?promoAllowOnce=1

Thanks to my friend Ken for providing this link as well with excellent volunteering activities as well. Register here for text and email updates about how you can volunteer.
http://interoccupy.net/occupysandy/


Thanks to Jean Marie Youngstrom for forwarding this information as well. I will see if this school in Washington Heights needs help when the subways are up and running and I can get to and from school.
"Storm victims from other parts of the city are arriving in droves to a shelter in Washington Heights. They need volunteers and all manner of supplies. 
Ahead of classes resuming on Monday the City is consolidating shelters, and George Washington High School will become one of the few remaining schools housing storm victims. I was at GW last night and learned that the current population of 16

0 adults and children will be swelling to 600-700 tonight.
The GW shelter is in need of volunteers at all hours, including overnight. They are also accepting donations of food and water, preferably in single-serve portions (easier to distribute).
If you can provide any form of help, please stop by the school, at 549 Audubon Ave. @ 193rd St."

Cancel the Marathon

I think Megan's friend Emily Fishbein is right. I know how important this event is for the city, and I too struggle with this issue, but she makes a really, really good point. I am proud of our marathon, but how appropriate is it to have people travel from all over the world to come here to run, and people to cheer them on, when people have lost everything and need help? If you're going to brave the subways to watch some runners, go get on a train and take your ass to a shelter to help people. This is what Emily said:

"Ok, I never do this. I cave. The race should be cancelled. 
Marathon runners: When you start at the Verrazano Bridge, half of you should turn around and run toward Hylan Blvd and go to Father Cappadanno or straight to Tottenville and help all those that lost their loved ones, lost their homes, lost everything in Staten Island… The other half should run through Brooklyn to Breezy Point to Long Island and help those that lost their homes and loved ones as well. There are so many people that need socks, t-shirts, shoes, water, hot food; these are all the same supplies that NYC will be providing to the thousands attending the NYC Marathon. Instead of running 26 miles through a city that President Obama declared a Major Disaster Area, run a gallon of gas to NJ so people don’t have to wait in line for 3 hours.

 I think it's important to keep certain things running in the wake of disaster and I was fighting this a bit today but the amount of resources like water, blankets and socks that will be used on the runners can be brought over to Hoboken to help the elderly and anyone else who needs it."

- Emily Fishbein

Teacher Grievance Form 11/2

Thank you Eric Dinowitz for contacting UFT and researching today to see what we can do as teachers to stand up for ourselves. The city wants to take away vacation days to teachers that can't make it in tomorrow due to the hurricane. Our union, while problematic and unfair at times, has once again fought for its teachers. Here's what you do if you are like me and can't make it to work tomorrow due to the hurricane (quoting Eric):

Many of you have asked me about tomorrow in particular, where the city has asked us to go to work.  With regard to this, the UFT has posted this on their facebook page:

"Obviously, the safety of you and your family is important so be safe and don’t take unnecessary chances to get to work tomorrow. But if you can make it in, we encourage you to do so. If, for one of a vast number of legitimate reasons, you are unable to report to work tomorrow, the DOE has set up an online form where you can appeal the loss of a leave day for your absence. Teachers assigned may use the same process to appeal the loss of a week’s pay for being unable to report. "

The DOE has issued something that is available in your DOE mailboxes, though I know not all of us check that.

Here is a link to the form if you need to miss work.

https://survey.vovici.com/se.ashx?s=705E3ED00F3F5EC1

Be well.  Hope to see all of you very soon.  

Commute to work?

Yeah right. This is the line at Grand Central at 42nd St to get a bus. And I'm supposed to get to work from Crown Heights? Please. Picture taken by my friend Py, and he says this is only 1/5 of the line.