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This post is from Helen Ho, Development Director at Recycle-A-Bicycle in New York City:

Thank you so much to everyone from near and far who is helping to support efforts in the clean up and recovery of Hurricane Sandy and keeping us in your thoughts. In New York City, Recycle-A-Bicycle’s own warehouse and job training center received three feet of water in the storm surge that came with the hurricane and caused an electrical fire in the building. Though we still have no heat at any of our locations, we are keeping our fingers warm by fixing up bikes for our partners and friends helping with hurricane relief.

Here are some short videos from Staten Island and the Rockaways that give you some idea of the devastating impact of Sandy. The recovery effort will take months if not years, and Recycle-A-Bicycle is actively helping in the recovery.  Even now, most impacted locations have no heat, water, power and very little cell phone service. There is a severe gas shortage and bicycles can play an important role in delivering food, supplies, transportation and information. In Red Hook, Brooklyn right now bike messengers travelling from building to building are the primary way residents in the neighborhood are receiving information about where hot food and supplies are being distributed on a day to day basis.

In our own way we are trying to make a contribution to our neighbors recovery. This week we’ve delivered 8 bikes, racks and baskets to 2 neighborhoods for food and supply distribution. This Saturday, we’ll be setting up a mobile bike shop in Red Hook.  We’ve been actively talking to our partners about how to help and will continue to donate and repair bikes for organizations that need them.

Our friends [at Bicycle Transportation Alliance] in Oregon reached out and very generously set this page up for us so that we can work overtime to put together more bikes to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Please help us spread the word and help us support relief efforts if you can. Thanks so much.