Saturday, November 3, 2012

Responding to Sandy: What You Can Do To Help

                                                                                  AP/Jim Cole
The pictures seem familiar, the stories reminiscent, but this time, the damage and devastation are hundreds of miles away.

Just 14 months after Tropical Storm Irene pummeled the Green Mountain State, Hurricane Sandy barreled up the east coast and we braced for the worst.

But this time, the mid-Atlantic states bore the brunt of the storm. Vermont wasn't immune to Sandy's impact; while many lost power, the state emerged from the storm mostly unscathed.

But many in our region have friends and family in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and other affected areas, who are without power, have relocated to emergency shelters, or in some cases are bravely trying to hold on with dwindling food supplies.

Many resources have popped up in the last few days to provide information about volunteering, donating supplies, or making financial contributions to aid recovery. The Vermont Community Foundation has setup a page on their website with key information, and #VTResponse, a website that served as a hub of information during and after Tropical Storm Irene, also provides state-by-state information about how you can help.

As we know all too well from Tropical Storm Irene, the response to Sandy is just the beginning of a significant recovery effort that will take months - if not years - to address. Even though some in our region are still feeling the impact of Irene, Vermonters are responding to help those who are suffering in the wake of this latest storm.

The American Red Cross has been actively involved in preparing for and responding to Sandy. One of the ways you can help right now is to make a financial contribution to the American Red Cross to help with immediate, short-term response and recovery efforts.

Key Resources:


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