Community Corner

How to Help and Get Help After Sandy

The community pulls together after hurricane leaves a wake of damage.

The requests started soon after the rain stopped: How can we help?

As Ocean City cleans up and assesses damage after record flooding from Hurricane Sandy, the community is rallying to help each other.

Here are a few opportunities to help and receive help. But let us know in the comments section if you know of others.

Find out what's happening in Ocean Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

OCNJ C.A.R.E.: The Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers before, during and after Hurricane Sandy. "Ocean City, NJ has a special place in all of our hearts and we are happy to say we are recovering," the Chamber writes. So many people have reached out to us to see how they can help and we appreciate every offer. OCNJ first and foremost wants to ensure everyone’s safety and there still is much to be done. We have created an organization called OCNJ C.A.R.E. (Cleanup And Recovery Effort) Project. This will be the central location for information, to volunteer, donate and request help. The website should be up and running early next week and in effort to provide information, we have launched OCNJ CARE facebook page. Please "like" the page so that we can provide information to help restore our Ocean City families and businesses! Thank you!

Find out what's happening in Ocean Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

ST. PETER'S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: Serving breakfast 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. and hot dinner from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday at St. Peter's church (8th Street and Wesley Avenue — please use back stairs). Open all day as a charging station.

OCEAN CITY ECUMENICAL FOOD CUPBOARD: Due to water damage at St. Peter's United Methodist Church, the local Food Cupboard has temporarily moved to the Ocean City Civic Center at Sixth Street and the Boardwalk. To serve the needy of our community, the Food Cupboard will be opened 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, to distribute food and accept donations.  

Until further notice, future hours at the Civic Center will be Monday to Friday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Cleaning supplies are available for those who need these types of supplies. 

The Clothes Closet remains at its location at 555 West Avenue, Mondays and Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Fridays 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Urgent need for donations of sheets, blankets and towels.  Clothing donations are not requested at this time.

The Ocean City Ecumenical Council Community Food Cupboard and Clothes Closet provides for the needy of our community.  Your donations, especially at this crucial time of need, will help us fulfill that mission.  Please mail donations to the Ocean City Ecumenical Council Inc., P.O. Box 1001, Ocean City, NJ  08226.  A 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization.

EXODUS INTEGRATED WELLNESS: Complimentary Community Peace Meditation is at 6 p.m. Monday (Nov. 5) at Exodus Integrated Wellness on the 600 block of Bay Avenue. All are welcome. Complimentary classes will be available all November.

SURFRIDER FOUNDATION: The local Surfrider Foundation chapter is coordinated events to help out in Ocean City. The events are planned weekly at noon Sundays, and the future locations will be based upon local needs. Check the local Surfrider website for details and updates.

SENIOR CENTER MEALS: Hot meals will be served for those in need at the Ocean City Community Center Senior Center (1735 Simpson Avenue) on Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Volunteers for this effort and donations of hot meals are welcome beginning at 8 a.m. Donations of non-perishable food, toiletries and cleaning supplies may be dropped off at the Ocean City Civic Center, 6th & Boardwalk on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Demand for assistance from the local Food Cupboard is expected to be at an all-time high.

OCEAN CITY BAPTIST CHURCH: The local church has invited six other churches from the area (MD, DE, PA, and NJ) to minister to the people of Ocean City by helping to clean up after Hurricane Sandy. Volunteers will be reaching out to the community this weekend by sending out teams to help people with whatever they might need — cleaning debris, shoveling sand, etc. They will be working all day on Saturday and the rest of the day on Sunday after a 9:30 a.m. worship service. If anybody needs assistance, email the church at ocbc@oceancitybaptist.org or call the pastor, Kevin O'Brien at 609-287-9797. Just let them know how they can help.

ST. PETER'S UNITED METHODIST: The church is looking for those willing to prepare meals or serve on volunteer teams for home cleanups. We are also looking for those who need meals cooked for them or a cleanup team to help. Sarah Lee is our point person for this, she can be emailed at: sara.lee@stpoc.org

DONATE AT AMERICAN LEGION IN SOMERS POINT: A relief effort will be held at the American Legion in Somers Point 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3. People are asked to bring any clothing (men, women and children), toilietries (toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, combs ect) and necessary items for cleanup (5g buckets, sponges, scrub brushes, dish soap, laundry detergent ect). If you would prefer to donate money, we ask that you please make any checks payable to American Red Cross. The drop-off will be at the American Legion on the Corner of First Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Somers Point.

OPERATION RESTORE OUR SHORE: Check this Facebook page for more information on a relief to all shore communities.


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