It has been one week since Hurricane Sandy swept through the NY/NJ area, and things – well they still aren’t quite back to normal. As I sit here writing this, I am at a Starbucks in downtown Ridgewood, NJ, trying to keep warm and use the internet. Our home is still out of power, we went down at 6 pm last Monday, and as of now, I still don’t have much hope PSE&G will get us restored before Friday.

In my opinion (and my opinion alone – I know many people have many opinions on this), PSE&G hasn’t responded as they should have after Hurricane Sandy. Their corporate offices have not been clear with their customers on what they are doing and what is going on. As customers, we deserve to know what you are doing, especially when the vast majority of us are without power. What is your plan? There should have been a plan set in place before the storm even happened, that restoring power to hospitals and schools was a priority.

Once Hurricane Sandy happened, they should have communicated the extent of the damage and given realistic timelines for when repairs would be made. Instead, no communications were provided, the timeline given was 7-10 days, but the date they say on their hotline today, when you call, is 12 days after.

There are still schools that don’t have power in our town, and as a neighbor of one of them I can say that I haven’t seen any utility trucks near that school working on anything (although I can also say that we really didn’t have any storm damage around us so I would assume what is keeping us off the grid is an issue somewhere else- but again, the lack of communication is frustrating, as it just keeps us wondering).

Hurricane Photo - Reflections on Hurricane Sandy

I can also relate to many of the people who have homes at the shore, as our family has one in Lavallette, NJ, and we went through a couple of days of wondering how hard it would get hit. Is it still standing? Although no one has been granted access to the Barrier Island yet, I have to commend the town of Lavallette for taking photos of everyone’s homes and posting them on their website, as well as communicating daily about the work going on, to grant residents access to their homes.

Overall, we were very lucky to have sustained such minor damage from such a major storm like Hurricane Sandy. The shore as we have known it will never be the same, but I know it will be better as we work to rebuild it. Power will eventually come back on, and hopefully before people go crazy from what I like to call living in “glorified camping” conditions. I hope that kids can go back to school soon, as educating our youth should be our number one priority in this country, and keeping them out for 2 weeks after they’ve been in school for just 2 months is never a good thing.

Many communities in NJ & NY could use your help rebuilding and getting life back to normal. So please, think about those who have lost everything in this storm, and think about giving them back a little piece of normalcy. Whether you can donate your time or money, anything and everything will help start these communities back on a path to normalcy.

Children in Lavallette have not only been displaced from their homes, but also from their school. Any gift cards to stores such as Staples, Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, and Costco, as well as generic Visa or MasterCard gift cards, would be greatly appreciated. Or checks can be made out to “Lavallette School”.

Donations can be dropped Monday through Friday, 9-3, at St Barbara’s or mailed to:
Lavallette School
Care of St Barbara Greek Orthodox Church
2200 Church Rd
Toms River, NJ 08753

There are also many other ways to help. Here are some resources you can contact if you want to help communities affected by Sandy Recover:

If you know of any other resources, please post them. Any way you can help will be appreciated.

From Creare Web Solutions, we hope everyone stays safe, warm, and well.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the impact of Hurricane Sandy on the NY/NJ area?

Hurricane Sandy caused widespread damage across the NY/NJ area, leaving thousands of residents without power and displacing many families. Power outages were especially severe, with some areas still struggling to restore power days after the storm.

Why is PSE&G taking so long to restore power after Hurricane Sandy?

PSE&G has faced significant challenges in restoring power after Hurricane Sandy. Many residents, including those in Ridgewood, NJ, have been left without power for extended periods. Communication from PSE&G regarding their restoration plan has been minimal, leaving customers frustrated about timelines and priorities.

How has the community in Lavallette, NJ, responded to Hurricane Sandy’s damage?

The town of Lavallette, NJ, has been proactive in communicating with residents after Hurricane Sandy. They took photos of homes and posted them online, providing updates and allowing residents to prepare for when they could return. This level of communication has been appreciated by the community.

What can I do to help communities affected by Hurricane Sandy?

There are many ways to help communities impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Donations to local organizations, such as gift cards for stores like Staples, Best Buy, and Target, can provide much-needed support for displaced families. Organizations like the Red Cross, United Way of NJ, and Staten Island Recovers are also seeking volunteers and donations.

What challenges are students facing after Hurricane Sandy?

Schools in areas like Ridgewood, NJ, have been without power for days due to Hurricane Sandy, causing significant disruptions to education. Some schools are still closed, and students have been out of school for weeks, which has raised concerns about the long-term effects on their education.