Sandy Recovery: Where Eaters & Techies Can Donate & Volunteer This Weekend

What a week. Many of you have probably seen and/or felt the devastating impact of Sandy’s havoc. While the power has just returned to lower Manhattan, there are still many citizens, restaurants, bars, retail shops and farmers in need of everything from clothes, food and technical assistance to financial support, help cleaning up and hungry, thirsty customers. The following is a list of ways you can volunteer or donate this weekend. I’ll be updating this list over the weekend, so send any tips to @foodtechconnect on twitter or in the comments section below.

FARMS

Added Value, a Red Hook community farm and youth empowerment program, has been submerged in sea water, ruining its harvest, topsoil, beehives and office. There is also possible soil contamination. You can help by donating or volunteering. Follow their updates on Facebook. According to Slow Money NYC, Added Value is looking for replacements for technologies ruined in the flood, including 2 laptop computers (used are okay), 5 iPads and 5 Android smartphones.

Brooklyn Grange lost their apiary and over one million honey bees, which had been located at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, in the storm. Last spring, the Grange raised $22,000 through Kickstarter to build the city’s largest apiary. You can help them rebuild their apiary by donating here.

BK Farmyards’ Youth Farm at High School for Public Service had some damage and is asking for volunteers to help with clean up and repairs Saturday  from 12-3pm. Location: 600 Kingston Ave, between Rutland and Winthrop Ave. More information available here.

EAT

Jimmy’s No. 43 does a lot for the community and local farmers, so now it’s our time to give back by patronizing their restaurant when it opens or buying tickets to upcoming events, including Meat Week NYC.

The Wangin’ Weekdays eating group is going on a mini-food tour of Chinatown on Monday, September 5,  starting at 7pm to help throw some business toward the restaurants that were undoubtably hurt by Sandy. They’re starting at NY Noodle Town at 7pm, going to Hop Kee at 8:30pm and finishing at Winnie’s at 10pm. RSVP to the events here.

Heritage Foods, which sells sustainably-raised meat from 40 Midwest and New York-based farms, is asking people to help out the restaurants, retail shops and farms that serve and produce their products, many of which have lost thousands of dollars in waste from spoiled food and lost business. You can help these restaurants by making reservation or purchasing gift cards. To help their farmers, visit their online store and place an order.

TECHNOLOGY

New York Tech Responds (organized by NY Tech Meetup and New Work City) is looking for volunteers to help schools, non-profits, and small businesses to get their information systems back online. Those in need of tech-related resources can also list their needs here.

FEED OTHERS

Greenmarket‘s across NYC are accepting donations of fresh produce, batteries, flashlights, and cleaning supplies to help New Yorkers recover from the storm. Donations will be delivered to City Harvest and community organizations in Red Hook, Rockaways, and Staten Island that are serving hot meals to neighborhood residents. Drop-off is on Saturday, November 3rd 8am – 1pm. Learn more here.

Red Hook Initiative needs volunteers to help sort through donations, deliver meals to the home bound, provide kitchen back up and help with clean up. Learn more here or report to 767 Hicks at West 9th starting at 10 am.

Occupy Sandy needs volunteers to distribute resources and supply donations, like blankets, candles, flashlights, batteries, water, food, socks, towels, printer paper, baby items and more. Learn more here.

Meat Hook is collecting donations for Rockaway residents, including canned goods, nonperishable food, blankets, jackets, gloves, hats, socks, plates, cups, bowls, utensils, cleaning supplies, brooms, mops, sponges, garbage bags, water and tarps. Learn more here.

Neighbors Together, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty in the Ocean Hill, Brownsville, and Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhoods of Brooklyn, is looking for donation to repair the damage to their industrial freezer and refrigerator and recover from food loss at their soup kitchen. Donate here.

Masbia soup kitchen network is need of donations to help feeding 600+ relocated seniors at the Park Slope Armory. For only $6 they can serve one person a freshly cooked nutritious hot dinner.

Citymeals-on-Wheels has been working to ensure New York’s homebound elderly have access to food. They are in need of volunteers for meal deliveries throughout the week. They are also looking for donations to help replenish their supplies.

City Harvest is asking those interested in volunteering to contact volunteerservices@cityharvest.org, or donate to help feed children, the elderly, and all hungry New Yorkers.

Food Bank For New York City is looking for financial donations, volunteers, and food donations.

El Puente, a community initiative dedicated to the power of self-determination, will be collecting donations at Saturday 9:30am-11am at 211 South 4th St. Bring non-perishable food, soap, shampoo, lotion, toothpaste/toothbrushes, diapers, formula, baby wipes, warm clothing for people of all ages, and cleaning supplies (shovels, garbage bags, gloves, etc). If you’d like to help sort and box the donations, email stbernadetteconvent@gmail.com. Help raise funds for the families of Rockaway Park.

St. Jacobi Church in Sunset Park is opening its kitchen to volunteers looking to help to cook hot food. Bring food and supplies.

Delivery.com is asking people to convert their Delivery Points into a cash donation to City Harvest. Learn more here.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

The American Red Cross is seeking volunteers 16 or older to work 12-hour shifts at local New York City shelters. Need to be able to carry 50 lbs. Go here for more info and application.

Red Hook Recovers is organizing resources and volunteers for food donations, generators, blood donations and volunteers.

Brokelyn is tracking volunteer opportunities by neighborhood. Read their post here.

Food Systems Network NYC is tracking volunteer opportunities here.

Rockabus is tracking volunteer opportunities and donation drop-off points here.

** Featured image via The Daily Beast.