Now that the benefit concert is done and Hurricane Sandy is fading from the news cycle, it’s easy to forget that there are still plenty of people in need of help. Enter Go Fund Me, a Kickstarter-like service that allows users to solicit donations for all sorts of projects. Unlike Kickstarter, recipients get the money they’re seeing immediately, whether or not the campaign meets its goal. Here are a few people rebuilding in the Rockaways, but keep in mind there are plenty out there.
Members of the Perez family are looking to raise $6,000. One them was dependent on her car, which was totaled, and like many Rockaway residents, have a home that they say is basically uninhabitable.
The Rockaway Youth Task Force was distributing supplies right after the storm hit to deal with the short-term damage, but now they are focusing on the more difficult long-term rebuilding effort through areas such as mentoring services, job and volunteer opportunities and workshops. Helping them out can also get you a personal shout out on their Facebook page, Twitter feed or in their newsletter.
• Donna Miley-Figueroa set up a page to split funds between three households and The Rockaway WISH Foundation. Plus you can get a “Support Rockaway” beer koozie seen above for just $5!
• While this donation page was set up by someone in Williamsburg with no personal connection to the Rockaways, they are taking money to go “towards all Hurricane Sandy relief efforts,” like gas generators, diapers and formula and even to get volunteers from one place to the next. This has some of the best rewards for your donation: a print from artist Lee Trice, a t-shirt from Brooklyn bike and skate collective NBKC and a discount on a new bike or bike services from NBKC.