The relief efforts organized by WCNY founder and former GB Cares Chairman Michael Taylor started the Sunday after the storm, November 4, 2012. A tractor trailer of generators, water pumps and supplies were expected to be delivered that afternoon. The delivery was delayed, but by the afternoon the original relief site was full and started to provide supplies to affected residents. Mr. Taylor has 17 years of volunteer experience creating, organizing and running public Annual Events and Activities for the betterment of the community. His support from contacts and resources acquired over the years played a key role in the daily success of the efforts to help others. Victim volunteers provided daily support for months during his time as the Director of the GBC Sandy Relief & Recovery program. According to Mr. Taylor, it was during the first weeks of the daily chaos that an amazingly skilled, caring and dedicated volunteer suggested that he ask each of the
experienced relief workers what we should expect in the next few days, weeks, months and years ahead. This helped him and the incredible talented and dedicated GBC Sandy team prepare, plan and arrange for future needed programs,   services and donations that the organization and community will benefit from for the next few years. The warnings and advice given by dozens of relief workers not only shocked him most of it was unbelievable to everyone he told. He credits the success of the efforts to the countless number of supporters, friends, kind hearted strangers and the hundreds of volunteers that put their own homes and lives on hold while giving their time, money and compassion to help others. Click here to Sign Up to Help Us Help others.

ADVICE & WARNINGS
FROM RELIEF WORKERS

1) Do your best not to judge, complain or worry about what people do or say. It will just distract you from helping more people. 


2) Request temporary homes - you need them now and even more so in the spring and summer. We found some FEMA homes.


3) Mold will be a huge problem for all of the flooded homes. You should request the government to have the Army clean out and spray to kill mold in all flooded homes. This would be the best way to save the community.


4) Do not let the complaining or jealously of others affect what you do. Just help people and move onto the next person in need. 


5) No matter what you do, more people will be upset with you then grateful; since you will not be able to help everyone, not even the majority of the residents fully recover.


6)Just help everyone you can with compassion.


7) Relief supplies will stop coming in as fast as they started. Be prepared for this and stock up to help those most in need.


8) Many will want the relief efforts to be over with and start to move on to try to get back to normal. It will never be normal again. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.


9) People will not have enough money to properly rebuild or recover; as most everyone is now experiencing. 


10) Depression will be a big problem with many complications. You should request mental health counseling assistance every chance you can. We requested this to every RED CROSS  interview team with little success in obtaining the needed assistance.


11) Crime will increase when people get desperate from not having money and many needs to survive.


12) House fires may result from future electrical issues, from those that did not change flooded breakers, and many other reasons caused by the problems from the Hurricane.


13) As funds become available to the organization, you will have problems with people looking to make money, wanting to control who gets it, and not having enough to help everyone that needs it.


14) People will complain about what they think others need or deserve.


15) You must keep relief supplies available until the spring and summer at all costs. You will understand why later.


Note: The list above does not contain all warnings and advice for various reasons.