HOBOKEN HURRICANE RELIEF: Citywide Collections to Help Harvey and Irma Victims via Greater Houston Community Fund and Team Rubicon

(ABOVE: Hobokenites watching Harvey and Irma footage can’t help but recall Sandy, the damage done, and the support we received. Now it’s time to give back.)

When we first planned this fundraiser, we didn’t plan on seeing yet another catastrophic storm roll in with such dramatic force and devastating impact. But here we are, in the wake of Harvey and Irma, with José churning offshore making up its mind.

So the time to act is now. The people of Southeast Texas are still hurting badly after Harvey’s wrath, while the Caribbean, Florida and other parts of the Southeast are just coming to terms with Irma’s damage.

(Left: Hurricane Harvey; Right: Superstorm Sandy)

In the wake of cataclysmic events such as the Asian Tsunami of 2004 and Hurricane Katrina less than a year later, the Hoboken hospitality and small business communities offered a swift and generous response to those in need.

With the help of those experienced in coordinating previous flood relief fundraisers, hMAG will be organizing a citywide donation event on Saturday, September 16. Participating bars and restaurants will charge an optional $1 cover, with an additional collection bin on the bar for patrons to pitch in should they feel so inclined.

Retailers, offices, anyone with decent foot traffic who wants to participate may do so as well. Collection bins will be provided (while supplies last), to be collected by next Monday (September 18).

(ABOVE: Graphic design generously donated by Lysa Opfer, posters courtesy of Plaid Lab Creative, additional media support from Drummond St. Strategy)

ALL collected funds will be donated directly to the following organizations:

• Greater Houston Community Foundation’s Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, which is administering the efforts in Texas
• Team Rubicon, which unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams—currently active in Texas, Florida and the Caribbean.

The wider the net, the bigger the yield—this fundraising event is open to anyone and everyone willing to participate.

Interested parties, please contact chris@hmag.com.

National Guard outside Luca Brasi’s — October, 2012

***