Animal lovers and foodies needed for Sandy relief

Two weeks have passed since Sandy slammed her path of destruction into our coast. With the distance of time and the reminder that high-profile figures are ridiculous people, the media attention is shifting away from the continuing urgency of need for many people in the hardest hit areas. The dedicated grassroots team at Occupy Sandy is working harder than any other relief organization to keep the people helping people momentum going. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter and sign up for their email list for daily updates about volunteer needs. Here’s two ways animal lovers and chefs can help ongoing Sandy relief efforts.

Food skills needed: Chef Allison Robicelli has organized the Bay Ridge Cares Kitchen at St. Mary’s Church where they will prepare hot meals for people in the worst hit, mostly neglected areas of Brooklyn. The kitchen needs volunteers with cooking and kitchen management skills to work as supervisors. You must commit to at least one full 9-5 shift a week where you will be in charge of a staff of volunteers, making an undetermined amount of food with whatever food has been donated. It’ll be like Iron Chef but with less glory and more canned ingredients. Sign up to volunteer via Occupy Sandy. Put Bay Ridge Cares Kitchen in the notes.

If you’re a calamity in the kitchen they also need nutritious ingredients for food prep and supplies. No more carbs! Shopping list is available on their Facebook page and includes items such as barley, quinoa, Guinness Stout, tahini and any cuts of meat except offal (snobs). The gourmet food kitchen will operate 9am-5pm Monday through Saturday and is accepting donations 10am-4pm daily at St. Mary’s Church located on 81st Street between Colonial and Ridge Blvd. (entrance is on 81st Street down the stairs). They are also accepting gift cards to local grocery stores and Costco.

Foster Sandy displaced pets: Celebrity chef Rachael Ray donated $500,000 to the ASPCA to set up a venue to shelter Sandy displaced animals. But if you don’t have 30-Minute Meals millions but still want to help, animal lovers are needed to foster hundreds of animals whose homes were destroyed, or were left behind when their families had to evacuate. You can post availability to host on the Sandy Pets Facebook page and find places that are seeking volunteers at shelters. There is also a group dedicated to helping owners reunite with pets lost during the storm. Adopt NY has information on how to further assist local rescue groups and where to drop off donations. For more ways to help furry friends, email [email protected].

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