Surfer community comes to the aid of Hurricane Sandy victims
The calm before the sotrm (Kristen Wilcox)
If you think that surfers don’t do anything but enjoy the ocean, think again. Waves for Water, an organization based out of Santa Monica but works with surfers everywhere, flew to New York immediately to help with the recovery of damage caused by the super storm.
Waves for Water was founded by surfers who wanted to provide communities in need with clean water. So when Sandy blew through the east, Jon Rose, headed out there with a team of his people and began a full-fledged effort to clean up in the hard-hit, beach communities.
Listening to the news of the storm’s devastation, Rose said to himself, “I know I can help a lot … we can be a vehicle for the entire [beach] community.”
Rose has been ‘on the ground’ doing just that and expects that the cleanup could take up to a year depending on the level of outside support, and they plan to handle the recovery in three phases.
Phase one is the first responder stuff that includes supplies – basic survival. “We have to sustain people until the power is back up,” Rose said.
Using his personal resources, Rose co-ordinates information using local networks on the ground as well as organizing and deploying the volunteers who are also working tirelessly.
He has set up warehouses in hot zones such as New Jersey and Long Island that serve as a funnel for resources that are being sent to aid victims on a daily basis from corporations and individuals as well. Then he sends out teams of people to distribute supplies to the people in need.
Volunteers go door-to-door delivering food, water, blankets, cleaning supplies, diapers, jackets and other baby supplies etc.
He gets the word out about his efforts ‘on the street’ and also heavily relies on social media including Twitter and Facebook. Rose also updates their progress on his website.
Phase two is rubble removal, and Phase three entails the arduous task of rebuilding. They intend to identify businesses that need help to rebuild and help them meet their goals.
Would you like to help? You can join their email list from his website or check out his Facebook page here Waves for Water
If you want to contact someone directly, please email [email protected] for more information.