11 Tips on Volunteering in Staten Island
If you are in New York and want to volunteer in Staten Island, here is a great list posted by a friend actively involved in the Staten Island relief effort.
11 Tips on volunteering in Staten Island:
1. Know where you are going and who are you going to volunteer for (check out recovery.org/staten island) but I recommend giving donations at the Crossroads church and dispersing from there. 192 Ebbets Street is a distribution center smack in the middle of the worst parts that needs help.
2. Avoid being a Disaster Tourist – if you are shooting photographs, also use your muscles to help. Consider donating money if seeing extensive damage freaks you out and renders you unable to do anything but gawk or cry. Make yourself useful and be pro-active.
6. Ask anyone and everyone how you can help and where. Everyone is very grateful and informative. Locals always know best. Trust them.
7. Bring your own headlamp and/or flashlight, work gloves and facemask. There is NO POWER there and it gets dark fast.
8. Travel light. If you must bring a bag, have a lightweight shoulder bag that allows you to be hands free and your back to be pain-free.
9. Go early so you can make use of the daylight and familiarize yourself with the neighborhood and plan for travel time.
10. Dress warmly. It’s freezing even in the day time. Wear comfortable but waterproof shoes.
11. Be careful and follow FEMA signs. The last thing you want is to get injured and become an additional load on EMS personnel there.
12. Thank you!!
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