Great story shared by my Uncle Robert Pitts.
George Phillips, an elderly man from Tampa, Florida, was going up to bed when his wife told him that he’d left the light on in the garden shed, which she could see from the bedroom window. George opened the back door to go turn off the light, but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things. He phoned the police, who asked “Is someone in your house?”
George replied “No, but some people are breaking into my garden shed and stealing from me.”
Tzu Chi Foundation, famous world-wide for its humanitarian charitable aid, helps New York and New Jersey residents deal with the damaging results of Superstorm Sandy
Non-profit organization HOPE Coalition America (HCA) through its disaster preparedness and recovery division, established Operation Hope to provide financial recovery services to Sandy victims. Individuals and small business owners can receive free information, guidance and assistance for loss associated with storm recovery by calling 888-388-HOPE (4673).
Services provided include:
? Disaster Recovery Budget
? Mortgage on a Destroyed Home
? Home Inspections and Repair Contracts
? Assistance with Working with Your Creditors
? Referrals to Government and Private Agencies
? Assistance with Obtaining Copies of Destroyed Documents
? Insurance Claims Assistance
? Completing Applications for Grants and Loans
Find gas at findgas.org
Check gas prices at gasbuddy.com
Newark County Committeeperson Douglas Freeman called in to say, Newark’s South Ward Residents need food, baby food, diapers; warming and charging stations. Residents basically just want something that says, “We care. we’re not just leaving you here and you’re fending for yourselves with no one caring what’s happening to you. I was in the dark along with everyone and we had electrical wires hooked up between houses and all of that – if we could do that, I know the city can do something … Just show people that you care, that’s all.”
5. Operation Hope
Financial dignity nonprofit Operation HOPE offers financial triage, financial recovery and free consultation services for individuals and small business owners impacted by Hurricane Sandy. More information here
6. Disaster SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Information (aka Foodstamps)
SNAP Handbook Guide
b. D-SNAP Toolkit: SNAP Guidance Toolkit.pdf
The New Jersey Department of Health has public health experts available through the state’s 2-1-1 system to answer questions about food and water safety and mold removal. To reach public health experts, call 211 or 1-866-234-0964, or visit them online at nj211.org. Experts are available 8am-8pm weekdays and 10am-5pm weekends. More than 800 New Jersey residents have called the Department of Health hotline seeking help with food and drinking water safety, mold removal and prevention of carbon monoxide poisoning. The 211 number is open for general enquiries 24/7.
If you need a place to spend social time, a volunteer opportunity, psychotherapy, housing or vocational training, here are some resources for people challenged by depression or another form of mental illness. Please feel free to post resources you know of which aren’t listed in a comment and I’ll add them to the list after checking them out.
For US By US Self Help Center 40 North Van Brunt Street, 2nd Floor, Englewood, NJ 07631 201-541-1221 Hours: Monday-Friday 1-5pm What it is: This program is a place where people dealing with a mental health issue of any type can spend time to socialize or spend quiet time in a place away from home. Activities take place that you can join if you like. The center is pretty much run by peers with professional oversight in the background. Who can participate: You may self-qualify to participate. Admission requirements: Drop-ins welcome – just show up. Feel free to ask a friend to bring you by. Work/volunteer opportunities:Admission requirements: By referral. Call to speak with a program counsellor who can help you understand the steps needed to be referred into one of the organization’s programs.
I’d like to direct D to some resources that may help her fight eviction.
D writes:
Looking for an attorney who would be willing to help on a pro bono basis a young family with two adorable children (under three years old) to avoid eviction from their apartment. The apartment has not received the appropriate heat this winter, and thus their children are always sick. So they withheld their rent to try to get the landlord’s attention. Instead they received an eviction notice. The court date is this Thursday. Any help would be truly appreciated.”
There’s so much more intentional deprivation of what the vulnerable among us need to be well, than decent people imagine: of the poor, the uneducated and also, the elderly. Intentional deprivation of some leads to the humongous prison population in the United States and, as a cousin recently pointed out on Facebook, seniors suffer from a type of forced incarceration too. Tucked out of public sight in nursing homes where they, according to Laura, “have cold meals, lights off at 7pm, two showers a week, live in (rooms smaller than some prison cells) and pay rent at $4,000 a month!”. The cost for both prison and nursing home housing is unconscionably high and in some cases the service delivery is dismal too, because these facilities are increasingly, privately owned. That means investors are concerned more about profiting from owning these places, than they are about the welfare of the residents inhabiting them. In the case of seniors, oversight is also an issue.
2014 Update for New Jersey drivers: Sober Sam is available but
News about AAA offering free towing service nationwide to get inebriated drivers home safely on New Year’s Eve is circulating virally on Facebook but according to Snopes, less than a dozen states offer this program.
When you see this posted on Facebook, tell people not to rely on the service. There’s only a limited chance it will be in effect where they live:
No Excuses!!! Don’t drink and drive — and don’t ride with anybody who does. Tipsy Tow offered by AAA: You don’t have to be a AAA member, from 6pm-6am on New Year’s Eve/Day they will take your drunk self and your car home for FREE. Save this number … 1-800-222-4357.
My Aunt writes from Florida:
I know the heartache of losing a pet. My Aussie was 9 when she died and this dog is 8 and the man had her since a puppy. The article spells it all out. I am also contacting the local talk show to see about starting a legal fund for him. An organization has already offered the people who adopted the dog $1,000 but they won’t accept the money in exchange for Annie’s return. We need to write letters to help Chuck get his 8 year old Australian Shepard back. She got spooked while he was feeding horses. Chuck looked for her and made a report to animal control but his dog was adopted out to new owners, and they refuse to give her back.
My cousin Jill Judson has a team in AIDS Walk Boston on June 6 2010 in honor of my brother Jared, who died of AIDS. If you are able, please support Jill with a donation. Visit the team page for more information or visit “JILLElizabeth Judson directly to make your donation via the internet or by mail.
Apparently, Jill has participated in the AIDS walk every year for the past 5 or 6 years. This is remarkable commitment for anyone, and considering that Jill struggles with physical issue of her own which make walking far a challenge for her, it is really the most lovely and loving tribute. As you can see, there are several other members on Jill’s team helping to make this march.
On October 28 present this coupon at Blue Moon Mexican Café in Englewood and 20% of your bill will be donated to Advance Housing, Inc. I’m an Advance Housing board member so I totally think you should treat all of your family members and work colleagues to a meal at Blue Moon in Englewood on the 28th!
Valid only in the Englewood location
Good for any food and drink
Anytime from 11:30am-11:00pm on October 29, 2009
Blue Moon Mexican Café
21 E. Palisades Avenue, Englewood, NJ 07631
201 541-0600
