How to help in Red Hook

Basement of Ice House flooded, but the beer flows on. Photo by tylerbreed on Instagram.

Local news is focusing on Breezy Point (justifiably) and dark and flooded lower Manhattan, but Red Hook took a really bad blow from Sandy too. Home to more than 5,000 residents and business owners, they have no power and are still very flooded and urgently need generators to help pump water out of homes and businesses. Short notice, but if you are in or near or able to get to Red Hook and want to help out, the community has organized a recovery effort and there will be a meeting by the flag pole at Columbia and Lorraine at 4pm today. Here’s some other ways to help.

You can also get supplies at the flag pole meeting. Local band The Lone Bellow, led by fellow Brooklyn resident, Zach Williams will be accompanied by friends to give out emergency supplies to those who need them. You can help! Purchase flashlights, batteries and matches and bring them to the flag pole at 450 Columbia Street at 4pm (for more information call (347) 770-1528 or email [email protected]). [via The Brooklyn Bugle]

The Red Hook Initiative‘s HQ at 767 Hicks Street has become the hub to collaborate on outreach and hands-on community support and will be providing lunch, dinner and fun Halloween activities for the neighborhood. They are stocked on volunteers but still need donations especially pre-prepared food (including food for children), candles, utensils such as spoons and bowls, jugs of water, flashlights, batteries, power strips, toiletries, papers towels, and paper for printing fliers.

Occupy Wall Street has also pitched in to help coordinate Sandy response. For more info and to get involved visit OccupySandyReliefNYC. Use the hashtag #SandyVolunteer, or if you are in search of assistance, #SandyAid. To receive text alerts for volunteer opportunities, text @OccupySandy to 23559.

Clean up at Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition in Red Hook on November 3rd & 4th starting at 10am Saturday. If anyone has a portable generator, long extension cords, or work lights contact BWAC. If you are an artist seeking to pick up your art work, please dress appropriately, and plan on spending a couple of hours helping with cleanup. Anyone and everyone is needed for this effort. RSVP/questions: [email protected] [via Brooklyn Community Foundation]

Jalopy on Columbia St. is collecting cleaning supplies. Mops, buckets, gloves etc.

Stay tuned for updates as news comes in on how to help out in Red Hook and other Brooklyn coastal communities.

Need help digging/pumping out, cleaning up, getting otherwise back above water? Let us know in the comments.

4 Comments

suzzy Oct 31, 2012

Sullivan street between vanbrunt and richards streets in redhook needs to be pumped out across the street from the school and doesn’t have any help there is a whole backyard full of water that doesn’t want to empty out storage rooms flooded in the basement broiler out due to water no light and the building gets really cold with no heat!! Please help somebody! Don’t own a generator or pump and everybody wants allot of $ people don’t really want to just give a helping hand in this time of need!

Oct 31, 2012 at 10:50 pm

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Alice Nov 1, 2012

Any news on where help is needed today?

Nov 1, 2012 at 9:48 am

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Ruby Nov 2, 2012

http://council.nyc.gov/d38/html/members/home.shtml councilwoman Sara Gonzalez was going around Red Hook offering generators. Pls contact her office!!

Nov 2, 2012 at 11:44 am

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Daphne Nov 3, 2012

Any word on where to come help today?

Nov 3, 2012 at 11:04 am

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