Greater NY Red Cross Honors Sandy Anniversary through Service: Oct. 26, 2013

In advance of next week’s one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, the Red Cross Greater New York Region is honoring the anniversary through service. Red Cross volunteers are helping to rebuild and muck out homes and community centers, clean up parks, and teach emergency preparedness classes to hundreds of Greater New York residents.

Here’s a roundup of Red Cross Sandy anniversary activities for Sat., Oct. 26:

Teaching Chinatown Residents Emergency Preparedness

Photo: Brett Whysel

This morning, the American Red Cross teamed up with the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) and University Settlement to train more than 350 Chinatown residents in emergency preparedness at the New York Chinese Community Center, 62 Mott Street.

Yim Chan, English secretary for CCBA, said many in the Chinese community are particularly vulnerable during a disaster because of their age and language barriers.

“This community was hit hard during Superstorm Sandy,” Chan said. “We have a lot of senior citizens who live here. During the storm, many of them didn’t know what to do – a lot of them were stranded in high rises with no water, electricity or communication. It’s especially important for them to have an emergency kit.”

“Preparing New Yorkers for disaster – whether a fire or a cataclysmic event like Sandy – has never been more urgent or more relevant,” said Kathryn Soman, co-chair of the Centennial Circle, a group of women leaders whose goal is to make preparedness a part of every New Yorker’s life, and an event partner. “As we mark the first-year anniversary of that devastating storm, the Centennial Circle is proud to support the efforts of the Greater New York Red Cross and delighted to partner with the CCBA at this Community Preparedness Day.”

Soman presented the preparedness information in English; Eva Wong, from University Settlement, translated the presentation into Cantonese. The Red Cross thanks its partners: the CCBA, the Visiting Nurse Service of NY, Chinatown Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community; University Settlement; and Council member Margaret Chin.



L-R: Denise Bloise, American Red Cross Greater NY Region; Eva Wong, University Settlement; Kathryn Soman, Red Cross volunteer; Zhongmin Yu, preparedness event participant; Paul Ng, CCBA president; and Stephanie Gootman, Red Cross volunteer. Photo: Brett Whysel. 

Rebuilding on Coney Island
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Red Cross partnered with Rebuilding Together NYC in its home rebuilding and revitalization activities as part of a 24-hour rebuild.

Greater New York Red Cross volunteers, including regional CEO Josh Lockwood, worked side-by-side with Jack Brand, Deutschebank Bank North America CEO; Chelsea Muller from the governor's office of NY Storm Recovery; Councilman Dominic Reccia; Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasney; Felipe Lopez of NBA Cares, members of Team Rubicon and Shaumet Builds; and other partner organizations. Scores of volunteers came out in the cold to lend a helping hand.

L to R: Chelsea Muller, NYC regional lead, NY Office of Storm Recovery; Kimberly George, executive director, Rebuilding Together NYC; Jacques Brand, CEO of North America Deutsche Bank; Rocco Brescia, homeowner; Josh Lockwood, regional CEO, American Red Cross Greater NY 

Alec Brook-Krasney, assemblyman for Coney Island, Donna M. Morrissey, director of communication, American Red Cross, Northeast Division, Felipe Lopez, NBA Cares ambassador, Councilman Dominic Recchia, Josh Lockwood, regional CEO, American Red Cross Greater NY  

Teaching Emergency Preparedness on Long Island

More than 50 people attended a free Be Red Cross Ready preparedness event at St. Anne’s Church in Brentwood, N.Y., today. Jeff O'Neill, Red Cross community recovery specialist, and Nathan Ward, Red Cross AmeriCorps volunteer, taught the class.

An additional 14 Red Cross volunteers, all of whom assisted with the Sandy relief effort, also took the training. A Spanish interpreter from St. Anne’s, Margarita Espinosa, translated the information for the Spanish speakers in attendance. On hand for the event were Deborah Kirnon, director of St. Anne’s Parish outreach; a representative from Senator Phillip Boyle’s office; and Long Island legislator Ricardo Montano. After the training, the volunteers went to Brentwood’s Ross Park to hand out Red Cross preparedness flyers.