WHAT YOU DID //

Here’s a quick run down of where we were and what we were up to:

STATEN ISLAND – Volunteers worked with a community-organized effort to clean out flooded homes.

ROCKAWAY – Volunteers teamed up with a local effort to sort and manage donated goods and also clean out affected homes.

BROWER PARK – Volunteers worked with Friends of Brower Park to haul downed trees, rake debris, and make the park safe for play again.

ARVERNE – Volunteers joined NY Communities for Change to do door-to-door assessments in the Rockaways.

STUY TOWN – Volunteers helped the Tenant’s Association to climb up and down high rises to asses and deliver supplies to the elderly and those in need.

FRONT STREET – Volunteers pitched in with local business owners to gut their shops/restaurants and salvage inventory.

Many of you also connected to additional volunteer opportunities, contributed much-needed donations, lent your vehicles to the effort, and found other creative ways to support today’s Sandy relief effort.

WHAT’S NEXT //

#nycvolunteeraton was set up as a one-day event; we hope you take your experiences and newfound connections and keep supporting Hurricane Sandy recovery in the weeks to come. We’re collecting feedback/ideas for next steps through this survey (only 3 questions). CLICK HERE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.

We’ll follow up soon with tips on how people can stay involved.In the meantime, please share you stories and feedback with the hashtag #nycvolunteerathon. Thanks again. All of your work and commitment has made us so proud to be a New Yorker. Cheers!

Check out the article here.

Check out the article here.

You can check out the mention here.

If you signed up and you did not receive a match email. First, check your spam folder (we’ve been hearing from some folks that they’ve found the email hiding from them in the spam folder). If it’s not there, tweet to @nycvols and we’ll get you set up.

Looking forward to tomorrow. If you are volunteering anywhere in the city, with any organization, don’t forget to use the hashtag #nycvolunteerathon on Twitter and Instagram, to show the world that NYC is recovering.

We have officially closed sign up. But we encourage you and your friends to participate in the NYC Volunteerathon by seeking out creative opportunities to be generous to your neighbors in need, and share those moments via Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #nycvolunteerathon

#nycvolunteerathon is a one-day push to get New Yorkers engaged in ongoing Sandy relief efforts.

I SIGNED UP, WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

We’re currently processing all the information you gave us and working on matching you up with a group of people to serve at a volunteer site. We’ll send you an email tonight giving you all the details for tomorrow morning.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT ON SUNDAY?

First and foremost, this work is not about you. Residents and community members are moving forward but still trying to process and deal with the effects of the storm. Be humble, respectful. These are peoples’ homes and communities. Be tactful when taking photos. We want you to document (their stories and yours) and spread the word of the amazing work on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #nycvolunteerathon, but be respectful.

Many organizations have reported overwhelming support. The situation changes minute by minute, and so it’s possible that a site will have too many volunteers or too much of a particular supply at any given time. Volunteers may get redirected which can be frustrating. Be patient, be flexible, be pro-active, and be focused on where you can be most helpful at any given moment, not what you would most like to do.

Work can be dirty and physical, or quiet and contemplative. Bearing witness or providing an empathetic ear is just as important as mucking out a home or cleaning up debris.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING?

At the very least, plan to be self-sufficient. Bring water (or a thermos with a hot beverage), a meal/snacks for yourself, and basic personal protective equipment (dust mask/work gloves/tall boots or work shoes). But think of creative ways that you can go above and beyond to bring cheer to the site or meet practical needs of the community. In general, cleaning supplies (garbage bags, buckets, squeegees, mops, bleach etc) and basic tools (shovels, picks, wheelbarrows) can always be put to use or donated at the end of your day. Some sites require no tools but your hands and heart. Spend this afternoon making necessary preparations.

The weather is cold and you may be outside for the duration of your shift. Dress warmly…

HOW DO I GET THERE?

You will be assigned your volunteer sites in groups. We encourage you to share rides and travel in groups when possible.

SAFETY CONCERNS?

Hurricane Sandy affected rich and poor communities alike. Volunteers are reporting nothing but positive experiences from all neighborhoods. But some of the volunteer sites will be in rough neighborhoods where the needs are greater, so be smart, travel in groups, and don’t put yourself in a situation you feel uncomfortable with.

Furthermore, you may be working in structures that were flooded or damaged. Be aware of your physical environment. Also be aware of how much you may be exerting yourself, and pace yourself throughout your shift. Water/dust/debris can also aggravate respiratory conditions or cause skin irritation. (See CDC Health and Safety Concerns for all Disasters http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/alldisasters.asp)

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER SUNDAY?

This is a one day event, but the recovery will take many months. To that end we’re happy to connect you with ongoing relief efforts after Sunday.

If you have additional questions, email Kyle at kyle.westaway@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

#nycvolunteerathon is a one day pop up movement to get New Yorkers plugged in to the amazing local relief efforts taking place across the city. Local groups are hard at work. Use #nycvolunteerathon to find, share, and connect with volunteer opportunities to support those recovering from Hurricane Sandy.

To get involved:

VOLUNTEER. Go to www.nycvolunteerathon.org to sign up to be a volunteer and get connected to local volunteer opportunities.

GRAB YOUR FRIENDS. Get a few friends to do the same. (Volunteering is always more fun with friends).

SPREAD THE WORD. Post a link to www.nycvolunteerathon.org on your social networks.

GET TO WORK. Show up to your assigned volunteer site on Sunday November 4th ready to work.

SHARE. Capture the city-wide movement with tweets, pictures, videos on facebook, twitter and instagram using the hashtag #nycvolunteerathon

This one-day event is all about neighbors helping neighbors, New Yorkers helping New Yorkers. Let’s prove to the world what it means to be a real New Yorker, by volunteering to help this city we love recover.

Follow the movement on twitter @nycvols