As we celebrate the Jewish New Year, NECHAMA staff are preparing for one of the most powerful storms to have ever hit the United States East Coast. Hurricane Florence has been tracking steadily west and north and is potentially set to make landfall later in the week along the North Carolina/South Carolina border. The exact location can still change, so please stay vigilant if you are in the region.
Officials are warning of a major storm surge, the potential for life-threatening freshwater flooding, and potential rainfall in some areas over 30 inches. To put this in perspective the effects of this storm could be on par with that of Hurricane Harvey, with the potential to even surpass it.
NECHAMA staff are preparing our response in anticipation of the widespread damage and destruction this storm may cause. It will not impact our work on Puerto Rico and Texas, where NECHAMA rebuild efforts will continue. We will begin assessments in the area as soon as local officials say it is safe to do so and will begin accepting volunteers once it is safe to travel, and housing has been located.
In order to get this Response Project off the ground, we need your help! A donation today to NECHAMA’s Disaster Response Fund means we will have the financial resources needed to begin this critical work. Please don’t wait – your donation today helps NECHAMA get boots on the ground as soon as possible!
NECHAMA is also continuing to monitor the potential effect Hurricane Issac may have on the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, along with Hurricane Olivia and the effect it may have on Hawaii. We will continue to closely monitor all three systems over the next few days.
Please donate today so that NECHAMA can respond to the needs that come up after the storms this week.
L’Shana Tova,
David Kaplan
Executive Director
NECHAMA – Jewish Response to Disaster