Occupy Hurricane Recovery Efforts
Here in New York City, Occupy Wall Street and 350.org networks have leapt into action to address the urgent needs of those flooded and without power in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy. Occupy’s grassroots mutual aid ethos is particularly suited to a catastrophe of this nature, which requires the meeting of people’s needs with people’s capacities. Such efforts have emerged after the storm from Occupy communities in alliance with other community groups sharing food, water, medical and psychological care, clothes, flashlights, clean-up capacity, etc in heavily hit areas in each borough.
The particular difficulty and urgency is to reach those who have little mobility due to age or illness and are stuck many stories up in buildings without power and water. The grassroots methodology is quick to respond, often demonstrably faster than traditional governmental and nonprofit relief groups (the cause the common, of course). As with every area hit by the hurricane, the need is great for supplies, transport, and willing hands and hearts. Because many areas of the city have so quickly returned to a glitzy pace, the contrast between those who have and those who desperately need is all the more staggering.
To learn more about how to help locally or remotely, check out these links:
http://interoccupy.net/occupysandy/
https://lowereastside.recovers.org
https://statenisland.recovers.org/
http://newyorkcares.org/volunteer/disaster/
Nathaniel Mahlberg, an MDiv student at Union Theological Seminary and an ordination candidate with the United Church of Christ, is an FOR Communications Intern.
Photo: NASA via Getty Image
