by W. Patrick Bryan (Gamma Beta, Spring ’05)
As most of us have seen on pretty much any media platform with a pulse, Hurricane Sandy has dealt a terrific blow to the northeastern seabord, resulting in loss of life, property and access to essential resources like food, clean water, shelter and electricity. Many of our own brothers in New York, New Jersey and the surrounding states have been significantly impacted by the flooding that disrupted transportation systems and delayed the repair of power lines.
As we recover from this massive storm, it is important that we look to help our brothers and their communities in whatever way possible. Lambda Theta Phi is encouraging brothers to donate to the American Red Cross to raise funds for disaster relief. While many people think that food and supply donations are the most needed, money will actually be the one resource that is most in demand as crews need resources to staff shelters, power generators and transport volunteers. The national board is encouraging members to donate even a small amount to help those who have been displaced by this storm.
If you live in the areas affected by the storm, you can obtain up-to-date information about resources in your area at fema.gov. You can also apply for disaster-related assistance at disasterassistance.gov, one site that can help you obtain over 70 forms of assistance from 17 different federal agencies. USA.gov also has updated information on resources for those in Sandy’s path. If you have a smart phone, both FEMA and the American Red Cross have apps you can download to stay connected with new information in your area.
VOTING INFORMATION
– New Jersey has implemented email voting and is encouraging citizens to vote at any polling place using a provisional ballot. Check the sites below if you are in New York or New Jersey for more information about voting and the polls in your state.
New York | New Jersey +