Hurricane Irene may have run off, but she certainly left a path of destruction behind.
As most of you may already know, the Social Grocery offices are based in Vermont. While we lucked out from the storm, our neighbors and friends south of us were not so lucky. Our beautiful state has been severely hurt in some areas — towns were under water, roads washed out, bridges destroyed (or completely torn off) and some of our community members lives have been lost. It”s hard to take in, let alone see.
Moving past the initial shock of the storm”s great impact — the worst flooding the state has seen in a century — it”s time to focus on rebuilding. “Okay, a terrible thing has happened. Now how can I help make a difference?” has been the question on many minds, and luckily there has been a tremendous amount of response (#VTResponse) to help those affected.
Where does that leave you? Here are some options:
If you are in the Vermont area, there are many efforts to take part in. Local communities are coming together, starting food drives and donation funds for organizations such as The Vermont Foodbank, The American Red Cross of Vermont & The New Hampshire Valley, The VT Irene Flood Relief Fund, and many more.
If you are interested in donating food, some items recommended by the Vermont Foodbank include:
In addition to donations, there is a large need for volunteers. If you are able to give your time, please check out sites such as VTResponse.com, Montpelier Alive, Vermont Flooding 2011 and others.
If you are not in the area, there are still ways to help! Here are a few ways to get involved on the cause:
By texting FOODNOW to 52000 you can make a $10 donation to the Vermont Foodbank — the Foodbank will take that donation and turn it into a $60 contribution for Vermont families. This is an amazing way to help provide groceries for those in need.
A local company, Independent Vermont Clothing, has created an “I”M WITH VT” t-shirt to help support recovery efforts within the state. All of the profits, around $15 per shirt, benefit the efforts of the Red Cross. The shirts are currently available for pre-order and will be printed on September 15th. In addition, you can make the graphic your profile picture (like many of us have already!) to help spread awareness via Facebook, Twitter, etc.
If you are not able to make a $ contribution, there is another option: spread the word! Share these links with family and friends, as well as your local communities. Get the awareness out there. We are confident that Vermont will be able to rebuild, especially with the help and support from outside communities.
To all of those affected by Hurricane Irene on the East Coast, our thoughts are with you. As hurricane season is not over and word of another comes about, please take precaution. You never know what could arise, and it is best to always be prepared for the worst.
Stay safe and best wishes!
The Social Grocery Team
