New Jersey: How We Remember, Why We Return

One year ago Hurricane Sandy slammed into the East Coast. People lost homes, decades of history, some lost their lives.

 

We have seen the storm in numbers:

– 7 million without power

– 116,000 evacuated

– over 350,000 homes destroyed in New Jersey

– billions and billions of dollars spent on relief and rehabilitation

 

We know the storm is more than just numbers. It is people. Hard-working, incredible, everyday people who saw their lives change in an instant. Their lives are still changing because of the storm.

 

Over the last year, thousands of volunteers have partnered with agencies and organizations in the rebuilding efforts. They have given time, energy, money and many hugs to help those affected by the storm. Communities have started to rebuild.

 

Governor Chris Christie, who will address Union Beach this afternoon at the same Boro Hall where YouthWorks groups sat and listened to Gateway’s Volunteer Coordinator, Joe, talk each Monday about the storm’s impact on his town, said earlier today: “We are all not whole until everybody individually is whole.”*  [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765640763/NJ-gov-helps-many-towns-mark-Sandy-anniversary.html]

 

In 2013, YouthWorks was blessed to partner with Gateway Church of Christ – a church committed to this very effort of making sure everyone is whole. The church serves in Jersey’s Bayshore communities and leads rebuilding efforts. Gateway has been the hands and feet of Christ to their neighbors and has taken over rebuilding efforts from Americorps and FEMA in the area, committing to long-term recovery efforts.

 

Hundreds of youth and leaders were able to meet the incredible men and women of this church community and serve here last summer.  They saw the way this storm brought neighbors closer together. The way it forged new friendships. The way it brought people to Christ. The way people could still find God in the very midst of the storm that destroyed everything. [http://easternblog.youthworks.com/2013/08/08/growing-leading-and-loving-with-gateway/]

 

After the storm hit, Obama told residents: “We are here for you and we will not forget. We will follow up to make sure you get all the help you need until you rebuild.”*

 

Today Obama’s words promised continued help: “We leave nobody behind. And as long as our fellow Americans continue to travel the long and sometimes difficult road to recovery, their country will stay with them every step of the way.”  Gateway is making sure people are not forgotten – that the promises of Gov. Christie and President Obama are not just good sound bites and empty words. Gateway has walked the road to recovery with their neighbors and Gateway continues to walk with them.

 

The work in Union Beach, Highlands and neighboring communities is not finished. And in order to continue serving, they still need help, hands and hugs.

At YouthWorks we see the opportunity to rebuild as a chance to show our neighbors they are not forgotten. That while the hurricane may not still be making headlines and so many lives have returned to normal, we are still committed to people and to making sure that we walk this road with them as Christ would do.

 

We look forward to returning to Union Beach and partnering with Gateway. We are thankful for their hard work year-round to rebuild. And we are thankful for volunteers that recognize the importance of making sure our neighbors are whole.

 

We are excited to be returning to New Jersey for selected weeks in 2014.

Click here to register or find out more information.

 

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You can take the girl outta jersey, but you can’t take the jersey outta the girl.  Lauren Bouchard is a jersey girl who has been working in the YouthWorks Philadelphia office as an Area Director since 2009. She loves the beach, good lattes and anthropologie.