Occupy Basements is an effort to move tools and materials from the basements of those who were fortunate enough to escape Sand's wrath into the hands (and eventually the basements and garages) of those not so lucky.
Original diary here.
The first drive will be moving items from Providence, RI to the Gerrittsen Beach Volunteer Fire Dept. That are ready and willing to accept tools and materials. Target date for transport is Saturday, Nov. 10. Working tools, both manual and powered, as well as general building supplies will be accepted at the Steel Yard, 27 Sims Ave, Providence, RI. Please do not call Steel Yard staff for details regarding what items we are looking for.
For updates, please refer to:
Occupy Basements on facebook
Our facebook event page
Our wordpress blog
Some additional information below the fold, and...
If you have any advice or want to help, please kosmail me or leave a comment. Thanks.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: we will be able to receive all item by week’s end, but if you can only get some items together now, and some items together later, needs have been prioritized.
High Priority (If you can these items down there today by some other means, do it. This stuff is needed NOW.)
Tarps, plastic sheeting, and other items to help weather proof buildings against further damage
Shovels, Heavy duty pushbrooms, and contractor and other clean up tools
N95 masks, Work Gloves, and other items to the folks doing the heavy lifting safe and warm
Anything that generates heat
Lighting
Priority (these are the items that we will send as soon as feasible, both in terms of our resources and the ability of people affected to put them to good use)
Crowbars, nail pullers, saws, hammers and other tools useful in the gutting of damaged homes
Nails, screws, nailguns, stapleguns
Drills, sanders, planers,
Levels, squares, tape measures, screwdrivers, pliers and other simple hand tools
Construction Material (tarpaper, flashing, un-used, useful lengths of pipe, wire, ductwork)
Supplies (Un-used electrical boxes, switches, outlets, wire nuts, etc.)
PLEASE:
Donate useful and usable items. A box of leftover roofing nails saves someone down there a few bucks. A box of leftover tiles from YOUR bathroom is a burden.
Don’t stop donating critically needed items that are helping people survive this crisis. Occupy Sandy has updated information on current needs and locations. Baby supplies, food, disposable utensils, winter (not general) clothing, tarps and cleaning supplies are desperately needed.
Don’t go out and buy this stuff. If you have cash that you want to spend helping the survivors of Sandy, please donate it to folks in that area that can put it to better use getting the the things they need today. Again, check out Occupy Sandy for more info. OCCUPY BASEMENTS exists to supplement, not replace, any current efforts. OCCUPY BASEMENTS exists to extend how much you can give, by providing an outlet to put currently unused resources (tools and supplies) into hands that use them rebuilding Sandy-ravaged communities.
WANT TO DO MORE? (Please say “yes”)
Spread the Word (facebook, churches, whatever you can think of)
Organize a neighborhood collection point
Volunteer to sort items this week
Help secure donated (or at least cheap) transport
Organize your own drive
For updates, please refer to:
Occupy Basements on facebook
Our facebook event page
Our wordpress blog