As we know at this point, residents of Brooklyn Heights were fortunate as Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc over many other regions of the borough. If you’d like to help out those in neighborhoods that suffered great impact, info is below: (Note: Weekend updates added)
Monday: The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and its Real Estate and Development Committee (RED) and Ariel Property Advisors invite Brooklynites to come out on Thursday night 11/8 and help relieve the suffering of our neighbors and friends with an on-site donation to the Brooklyn Recovery Fund. Ariel Property Advisors will match $5,000 in contributions received on site for this real-estate netwoking event. Help us reach the goal of $10,000.
The previously scheduled networking event will take place at 823 Classon Avenue just steps from the Brooklyn Museum, Botanic Gardens and 2, 3, 4, 5 and S trains. The event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Brooklyn Community Foundation, Forest City Ratner Companies, the Brooklyn Nets, and Barclays Center have each pledged $100,000, for a total of $400,000 to create the Fund.
Brooklyn Community Foundation will administer the fund, which will respond to the immediate and long term impacts of this natural disaster and serve as a flexible source of grant funding to local nonprofit organizations as the rebuilding efforts in Brooklyn progress over the coming weeks and months.
Monday: From BHA’s Judy Stanton: Here is yet another call to provide help to people in the Rockaways. Late tonight I received the message below from a Halstead agent on Montague Street, whose office has organized a moving van for tomorrow to take supplies to the Rockaways. It is short notice, but maybe some of you who are reading this will take stuff there. The van is picking up at 11:00 am TOMORROW (Monday) at 150 Montague, between Henry and Clinton. Tel: 718-613-2000.
Anyone who is able to bring things tomorrow morning between 9am – 11am should PLEASE DO.
Here is what is desperately needed:
* Batteries – most needed!! Sizes D, C and AAA. They can’t have enough, and are grabbed immediately.
* Flashlights – also can’t get enough
* Candles – it is pitch black starting at 5:30 or so, and people need light to stay sane
* Diapers (all sizes) and Baby Wipes
* Feminine Products
* Pet Food (we had some and it got snatched up quickly) and Kitty Litter
* Toothpaste (even travel sized so we can reach more people) & toothbrushes (we saw very little being donated)
* Re-usable strong bags – like you’d get at Trader Joe’s, etc. Very useful for carrying from drop off centers to homes.
* Contractor Bags or Strong Trash Bags
* Cleaning Supplies
* Masks – air quality is very poor
* Gum (random, but they seemed excited to see some)
* Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, Sponges
* Buckets
* Sterno
* Anything to supply heat to hands (hand warmers)
* Bottled Water – they are not supposed to drink the water, but many are so they can give water to others in more need.
For clothing:
* XL or XXL coats
* Hats, Gloves, Scarves
* XL Hoodies
Please, please, please–no other regular clothes.
As for food, some people are able to heat their apartments with their gas stoves, but not everyone. They are looking for tasty, comfort food, like canned ravioli, hearty soups… things you might have bought while stocking up for the storm.
ALSO for the Rockaway relief effort, Grace Church has offered to take donated items during this week on behalf of St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway; Their list is found below:
Clothing for Men, Women and Children: Shoes, Sweat Suits, Pants, Shirts, Sweaters, Coats, New Undergarments and Socks.
Baby: Diapers, wipes Formula, Vaseline
Other Needs: Blankets, Pillows and Pillow cases, Sheets, Towels, Wash cloths,
Batteries, Bottled Water, Toiletries: Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, Soap
Please bring the items during this week to Grace Church, at 254 Hicks Street, from 9-4 PM.
You may call the BHA office at 718-858-9193 if you have any questions related to the DSNY service.
Judy Stanton, BHA Executive Director
Sunday: The DUMBO BID is organizing a fundraising event Wednesday from 6-10 p.m. to help rebuild shops, venues, art spaces and restaurants impacted by the storm in the neighborhood. Information is here.
Sunday: All profits from Chez Moi French restaurant at 135 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn Heights, will be donated to The Red Hook Initiative on Monday November 5 from 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Sunday: Mile High in Red Hook offers this update to BHB readers: Our thoughts are with all of those affected by Superstorm Sandy. Thankfully our entire team is safe and both restaurant locations secure. Unfortunately the Red Hook neighborhood where our central kitchen is located sustained serious damage in the storm. Many residents and businesses were flooded and remain powerless. Our facility was filled with over 4 feet of water and the surge that pushed through the space toppled everything in its path.
All the curing, smoking, pickling and baking for our restaurants was performed in this kitchen, and along with the loss of inventory and equipment we are now facing a restructuring of our food production processes. We are working with friends and trusted purveyors to identify smokehouse alternatives and source ingredients that were previously prepared in-house.
The Delicatessen in Boerum Hill and the Sandwich Shop in NoHo were not structurally affected by the storm and we look forward to resuming regular service. Our menus and operating hours will be in flux in the coming weeks and your patience and continued patronage throughout this period are so important and deeply appreciated.
We’ll be updating Twitter regularly and encourage you to check out Red Hook Initiative for more information on how you may help the recovery in the neighborhood. One important thing we can all do now is frequent the small businesses that have suffered damages and loss of power.
We couldn’t have made it through the last week without the selfless and tireless work of volunteers and thank everyone for their expressions of support.
Yours, Noah, Rae, Max, Joel and the entire Mile End Team…
Saturday: Assemblywoman Joan Millman and Councilman Steve Levin, have provided us with specific items needed for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Items can be dropped off at Congregation Mount Sinai, 250 Cadman Plaza: Saturday, Nov. 3, from 1-6 p.m. and Sunday Nov. 4, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Items requested and needed are:
baby food /baby clothes/ diapers
batteries / flashlights / tools
blankets / towels
non perishable food
garbage bags / plastic bags
water
toiletries
pet food
socks / underwear
work clothes
work gloves
The items will go to victims in shelters on Staten Island, Breezy Point, the Rockaways and South Brooklyn. Items will also go to Distribution Centers for victims who have sustained losses. If you would like to make a monetary donation, checks can be made out to Congregation Mount Sinai, earmarked Hurricane Sandy Victims.
Saturday: Below is a list of items needed by neighbors in Red Hook who are in dire straits since the storm. Red Hook Initiatives is coordinating recovery efforts and compiled a list of items needed. To make it easy for you to respond over the weekend, especially if you don’t have a car,
Iris Cafe and Take Away are accepting donations at their empty storefront in Brooklyn Heights, at 71 Atlantic Avenue, near Hicks Street.
Please deliver your donations between Noon-4 p.m. Saturday an Sunday.
Whatever is collected will be delivered on Monday to Red Hook.
Here is what they need:
Black garbage bags
Shovels
Rubber gloves
Warm socks
Hand warmers
Bottled water
Hats/Coats/Gloves,
Towels
Ready-to-eat food (canned goods can’t reheated at this time)
Added Value, the Red Hook community farm (480 Columbia Street, across the street from IKEA) sustained extensive damage during the storm. Their computers were destroyed by Sandy and the farm would really appreciate a donation of an old computer or smart phone.
The Park Slope Armory shelter (361 15th Street, between 7th & 8th Avenues) needs volunteers who can work at least an 8 hour shift, longer would be great. Shifts start at 8 AM and 8 PM. If they have too many volunteers, you may be turned away, so be prepared for that.
The John Jay High School shelter (237 7th Avenue, between 4th & 5th Streets) needs day, evening, and overnight volunteers this weekend (especially, but not only, people with medical training). You need to be able to dedicate at least 6-8 hours and cannot bring your children.
Thursday: Shelter at Brooklyn Tech (entrance on South Elliott off DeKalb): To volunteer, please sign up on a daily basis. Meal times and overnight hours are most needed. Those housed there need the basics: toiletries, batteries, flashlights, papers towels, toilet paper and regular bath towels of any size. The shelter at John Jay High School needs socks and underwear.
Donations are being collected for Occupy Sandy Relief NYC for distribution to storm victims throughout NYC. See Facebook page here.
Several DUMBO retailers have suffered devastating damage, including Governor, One Girl Cookies, Aegir Board Work, PowerHouse, Galapagos Art Space, Almondine, SmackMellon, 66 Water Street Restaurant, The River Cafe and Punto Bianco. A number of residential buildings also had significant flooding and other complications from the storm, including 30 Main, 66 Water, 1 Main, 25 Washington. Many will have to rebuild substantial parts of their lobbies, basements, utilities and storage areas.
Some office buildings in DUMBO are open with full power, some with partial power and others, like 10 and 20 Jay remain closed. 10 Jay is dry but without power. 20 Jay’s the garage was flooded and is being cleaned up. Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Carousel took on a lot of water, as you saw in previous reports. To donate time or supplies, see Rebuilding DUMBO website here. Additional details on the recovery in DUMBO can be found at Rebuilding.DUMBO.is. Email Sandy@dumbonyc.org.
The DUMBO Improvement District is in the process of locating spaces for companies in Brooklyn and Manhattan that are currently displaced. Contact DUMBO Startup Lab at contact@dumbostartuplab.com; and Small Planet at info@smallplanet.com.
Borough President Marty Markowitz is offering space to displaced businesses at Borough Hall (seats, power and WiFi) for the next two weeks. To book, email cgreer@brooklynbp.nyc.gov. Please tweet @DUMBOBID if you have space available with #sandycoworking.
UPDATE: This dispatch from the folks at Iris Cafe:
Iris Cafe and Take Away made it safely through the storm. Our dear friends and fellow business owners in nearby Redhook suffered major flooding (up to 4-6 ft standing water in many places) and homes and businesses have been lost. They are faced with a huge clean up effort (with no power) and they NEED OUR HELP. Over the weekend, between 12-4pm both Saturday and Sunday, we will be accepting donati ons at our empty storefront (71 Atlantic Ave near Hicks St.) We seek neighbors to help accept and organize the donations (we’ll be delivering them to Redhook on Monday), and our friends are especially in need of the following items:
Black garbage bags
Shovels
Rubber gloves
Warm socks
Hand warmers
Bottled water
Hats/Coats/Gloves
Towels
Ready-to-eat food (canned goods can’t reheated at this time)
Tell your friends, repost, and let’s rally some big support in the surrounding neighborhoods for those hardest hit by Sandy.
(Photo: doorsixteen/Instagram)
