How to Help New York State Flood Victims

Like several other towns in eastern and northern NY state, Connecticut and Vermont, my girlfriend's hometown of Margaretville, NY (pop: 643) was essentially wiped out when Hurricane Irene overflowed the Delaware River. People's homes, clothes, belongings were swept away or destroyed by mud. The lucky ones whose homes escaped the flooding still do not have drinkable water, and many have not gotten electricity or phone service restored yet.

The Red Cross has been helping, but they can only do so much, and FEMA and state aid has been slow to arrive.

We will be filling a large SUV with supplies and driving them up on Saturday afternoon. There are a number of ways you can help either through us or other means...

We can pick up donations in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx Friday and Saturday.

If you want to volunteer or bring items yourself, see: http://rebuildthecatskills.org/help/

There are also two dropoff locales in NYC; one in Soho and one in Brooklyn. But they need volunteers to bring the supplies upstate, too:
http://irenerelief.forumotion.com/t1...ection-centers

Donations can go to:
http://markproject.org/flood-relief-...rgency-repair/

We can also accept cash donations that we will use for towards food/water for displaced residents, cleaning supplies, prescriptions, hot meals and supplies for volunteers.

Lastly, Red Cross is in dire need of blood: http://www.redcrossblood.org/

Among the items desperately needed:
Canned food
Bottled water
Diapers
Tampons
Soap
Laundry detergent
Kids and adult clothing and shoes

If you'd like to help, contact me at matt [at] nycaviation.com

Thanks!