...or Hoboken, or Ocean City NJ, or Ocean City MD (pictured above), or some other community hit by Sandy. The plan, in a nutshell is this:
1. Collect tools and rebuilding supplies from outside the destruction zone.
2. Put those tools and supplies into the hands of those people who need them.
How?
OCCUPY BASEMENTS.
Who is Occupy Basements?
So far, it's me. I'd love a hand with this.
What is Occupy Basements?
An effort concentrated on items that are often found in peoples basements that would be useful to the rebuilding of Sandy ravaged areas. In addition to the houses destroyed by wind, water and fire, there are many flooded basements (and garage workshops) that are thick with sand, salt and muck. The tools within are lost.
When is Occupy Basements?
Now and for weeks, if not months.
Where is Occupy Basements?
Wher-ever it can be. I live in RI. A drop in the bucket from me yesterday is en route to Hoboken this morning. More drops lead to more buckets. More buckets become streams. Those streams run from those who can help to those who need help.
Why is Occupy Basements?
Yesterday, my wife and I pitched a few bucks to the Red Cross. They do good work. They need cash. More cash than I have. They also need other things that I don't have stockpiled. They also don't need some things that I did have and thought would be useful. She then informed me of two collections that were being organized for Sandy relief in our area. These were both "point-to-point" efforts. A person up here had contact with a person down there who was attached to a specific neighborhood effort in the affected area. And yes, some of the things that would be a burden to the Red Cross would be welcome by these friends of friends. Among these items were hand tools, power tools, fasteners, and hardware. These items were things I did not have purchase and the result is that people in Hoboken were able to receive more than I could afford to give.
How does Occupy Basements work?
Join me below the orange sea foam for details, ideas and questions that will help make this work.
How I see Occupy Basements working:
Collection of materials comes from two major sources:
1. The basements (and garages) of people who are high and dry. I bought a new jigsaw last year. It was a really nice saw that was on sale. It replaced my perfectly working, but not as awesome jigsaw. I don't need two jigsaws. I also upgraded my drill with a sweet yard sale find a while back. I don't need two caulk guns. I had two caulk guns because I couldn't find my caulk gun one day when I really needed to do some caulking. Then I found the old caulk gun. There were few more of these "lost, replaced, then found" items. There was a five pound box of roofing nails in my basement, left at my house by the guy that did my roof a few years back (I don't do ladders anymore). There were rolls of duct tape that I bought bulk, because the price was so damn good. As much tape as I might use around the house and in my art, I was looking at more tape than I could use in a reasonable amount of time. You get the picture.
2. Retail stores. I will be trying to solicit donations from retail establishments in my area. I will also be asking them to support a effort where customers can buy supplies (or pitch a few dollars towards the purchase of supplies) at cost for shipment to hard hit areas.
Transport of materials via:
1. Trucks that are heading down with other supplies, so long as that truck will be going to a place that is expecting these materials that are not blankets, food, or toiletries.
2. Donated truck and driver from area retailer, wholesaler, or distributor (long-shot, but any thoughts or leads in this matter would be welcome.)
3. Rented truck
Distribution of materials by way of:
Local, neighborhood based efforts that are are aware of what materials are en route and are confident of being able to put those tools and materials to good use.
What I'm planning on doing in the next few days
1. Making contact with interoccupy (or anyone else) to organize the best place to receive goods.
2. Trying to get a letter or two from recognized charities and/or churches in the area that state a)the need for tools and supplies for cleaning and rebuilding, b)the ability to receive said materials, and c)the willingness to distribute those items to affected people. I believe this will be useful for the next item on my list.
3. Soliciting local businesses for donations of goods and or services.
4. Setting up a local collection point.
5. Eliciting the help of a few people to help collect, sort, label, and pack items.
6. Securing transport of these items, likely at the end of the week.
What I need help with now
1. Thoughts, suggestions, experience from folks here.
2. Leads on donated or cheap truck space
3. Help getting word out.
4. Help collecting items.
5. Help in any other way that you can imagine.
What you can do by mid-week:
Tell as many people as you can to:
Go to the basement. Go to the garage. Take a look around and ask "What do I have here that I don't really need, that would be useful to someone else right now? What did I keep that might come in handy one day, but hasn't yet?" Try to find:
1. Leftover materials (half a roll of flashing is good. The half box of tiles that match YOUR bathroom is not).
2. Replaced tools. ("Lost, then found" items or power tools that you have upgraded, but that you've kept because it still works well and might be a good back-up? Someone needs it NOW.)
3. Stockpiled items. (Coming to the realization that despite the awesome deal you got on construction adhesive, the stuff will probably go stale before you get around to using it all? Pack it up.)
4. Those one use tools you bought because it was still cheaper to DIY despite buying the whatchamajig. I needed a sheet metal crimper for some duct work. People who just had their HVAC systems flooded with mud will be needing them long before I ever need to pick that tool up again.
5. Wrong purchases that you didn't return to the store. (wrong color switches, wrong size electrical box, etc. Try to keep this stuff pretty generic. Don't include stuff that would be better suited to a yard sale, like the chandelier that doesn't really go with the new dining room.)
Keep an eye out for:
Cleaning tools (shovels, push brooms, heavy landscape rakes are in demand now)
Simple hand tools (how many screwdrivers or crowbars do you really need?)
Supplies (if you aren't going to be rewiring your house in the next couple of years, do you really need that box of wire nuts and that other box of wire staples?)
Lighting (clamp lights/work lights and exterior lighting)
Toolboxes
Things that make heat
After items are collected and dusted off, label things. Did you fill a box with extension cords and lighting? Awesome. Label the box on the top (yes, make sure there is a top to the box so that it can be stacked) and two sides with the contents. Does that drill work great except there is no reverse? Label it as such on a piece of tape or something.
And, if you are ambitious and have the time: Collect these items from your friends and families. Organize them in one of two ways:
1. All like items together.
2. Replacement tool boxes (if you have a box, a tape measure, a hammer, a phillips screwdriver, a slotted screwdriver, a crescent wrench, a pair of pliers and some snips, why not put those all together?)
Please leave suggestions, tips and thoughts in the comments and please search the tag basement in a couple of days to find any updates on this effort. I will be updating this diary or providing new diaries as needed to include details on transport, and information on at least one collection site (and other collection sites if anybody organizes this in their town).