My aunt Marilyn knows she is one of the lucky ones. You might question this. She fell and broke her leg a month ago and has been in a wheelchair ever since. She’d already been staying with her daughter and son-in-law for a few weeks when Hurricane Sandy torn through Tom’s River, New Jersey and bombarded her house. She lost her car and everything in her garage and a few of the bedrooms. Only the arrangement was insured for flood, so in addition to having a massive mess to clean up, she is thousands of dollars out of pocket. And she considers herself blessed.
She’s neighbors who lost everything and, without flooding insurance of any kind, are starting over. They too are thankful to be living.
This was how I felt a couple of decades ago when an arsonist randomly set our house on my family escaped with the clothes on our backs. We lost everything but were thankful to be living and were amazed by the generosity and attention of the community. It is so tough to eliminate everything and begin over even once you have an intact and thriving support system. I can only imagine the challenge when everybody around you’re equally devastated, like after Hurricane Sandy.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
What You Can Do to Assist
Nearly all people have seen the desolation caused by Sandy. In the U.S. alone: more than 110 dead, millions without power, thousands homeless, neighborhoods wiped out and whole towns ravaged. That is when those of us from a distance can measure up, reach out and be extended community, but it may be daunting to know what to do or where to start.
Maybe you have friends who lost their house or belongings in Hurricane Sandy and you want to help. I have a couple recommendations.
Before Photo
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Think before you speak. Less is truly more when it comes to words. Beyond”I’m so sorry” there isn’t a whole lot to say. It feels inadequate, and that’s OK. Odds are, your friends aren’t philosophizing, however if they are attempting to put their reduction in perspective, only listen. It is 1 thing for the people who have lost all their worldly goods to state,”It is just stuff,” and another thing entirely for you to state it, from your hot and intact home surrounded by all of your stuff.
Listen. No matter your friends have been through or lost, they have a story to tell. My friend Sue went to serve in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Her group distributed food, clothing and other basics. She asked everybody who came across the line,”What’s your story?” Every single person stopped to tell her and appeared more excited to talk than to eat.
Try to find a practical need and fulfill it. Don’t say,”I want to know if there is a way I could help.” People in crisis often don’t know what they need, and when they do, might still be reluctant to request assistance. This is often said to finish a dialogue, but resist the impulse. If you truly want to be useful, figure out what has to be done and do it.
American Red Cross
Send money. Writing a check to family and friends may seem impersonal, but it’s one of the most helpful things you can do. Disasters are costly. Something the majority of us do not consider is the prohibitive expense of flood insurance. A lot of people who lost their homes and businesses were not fully insured. Even in the best cases, there are apparently endless out-of-pocket expenditures.
Assist with the logistics. Some people curl up in the fetal position in the thought of insurance types. If you’re an”I” dotter along with a”t” crosser, consider giving your time to help a friend fill out and file paperwork.
American Red Cross
Organize an image drive. When our house burned down, which I mourned most deeply was the reduction of most our pictures and videos. Friends and family sorted through their images and started to ship them. It had been great to have numerous replaced and to look through them together.
Open your home. This is one of the most profoundly beneficial and compassionate things you can do. Losing your house and all of your possessions is a surreal experience, and rebuilding is a long and arduous process. Once an whole area is ruined, the rebuilding process is much slower. Even if it’s just for the brief duration, sharing your house is an extraordinary approach to help a friend get back on his or her toes.
Resource Guide: Recovering from a Hurricane
