Announcement: Hurricane Sandy

Emergency Meeting on Thursday, 10am at Judson (and info session on Saturday in Zuccotti, see below.)

Hello all – we realize this is extremely short notice and that this is frustrating for some, but this is the nature of the evolving situation with Sandy recovery.



We will be holding an emergency information meeting this Thursday (12/6) at 10a at Judson Memorial Church (enter at 239 Thompson Street and look for the Garden Room) to update faith leaders with the evolving recovery situation.  As can be expected, there are far too many people living in houses with dangerous mold, and we will need to take a stand to have Bloomberg and city agencies recognize this and take action.

Occupy Radical Christian LivingSat. Dec. 8 Come to Trinity Wall Street at 12:30p.m. for an extension of Trinity Institute’s conference on Radical Christian Living. Gather at 12:30 in front of Trinity Wall Street  for leafleting, singing and engaging with faith leaders involved with Occupy Sandy, Strike Debt, A People’s Investigation and more. [Facebook page]

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Our voices are so needed right now as advocates for the unfortunate unseen forgotten souls of the Zone A areas.

The Rockaways are in dire circumstances, there are still those without heat or hot water.  Those who do have water; it is contaminated with sea water.   We have seen reports of intestinal difficulties as a result.   There is a growing medical tragedy occurring as it past crisis; there is a problem with Tetanus, hypothermia as well as serious neglected chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetics, etc.   Adding to that there a serious problem of  food insecurity  The mayor’s office stopped serving hot food to survivors; instead being supplied by various organizations of military or disaster food rations.  These rations exasperate the health of those with chronic health conditions.  There are many times that patients were referred to the mobile clinics the Mayor’s office allegedly has in the Rockaways, but they could not be found.  People are walking around completely traumatized, children are being bussed to other schools which contributes to the growing distress.  Healthcare professionals warn that the aftermath of the crisis leaves New Yorkers vulnerable to the spread of infectious diseases, mold and dust, and clean-up hazards.  Thousands of New Yorkers – in Staten Island, the Rockaways, and Coney Island – are still trapped in their homes with urgent and unattended medical needs.

Folks are too afraid to leave their homes especially in high rises as looting as been occurring.  Those who are in SROs have shuttered themselves in because the minute they leave their residence, the landlords evict them, tossing all their belongings on the street locking them out.  Residents are living in hazardous mold conditions and to date NO city representative has addressed this issue.  Those who do work have an added 1 hour to their commute because transportation is at minimal.

One of the most important factors in this entire situation is that the Rockaway was an under-served community the storm has decimated all services, the most important medical services.  Over the last couple of days I along with mental health professionals are working to organize mental health support in the churches.  Although a group of concerned doctors, nurses and advocates have been on conference calls with the mayor’s office, no progress has been made to aid and deliver resources needed to avert the crisis.

The NSNYA nurses will be soon coming out with a press release on their assessment of the situation
I hope you can spread the word and gather support of the interfaith community.

In Kindness,

Reverend Mary

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