8 Veg Companies Helping with Sandy Relief Efforts

While Hurricane Sandy was predicted to hit landfall, no one could quite predict how much devastation the superstorm would have on the East Coast. Leaving thousands without power, flooding countless businesses and homes, and taking out public transportation, the impact of Sandy was deeply felt. Many concerned citizens donated to Red Cross, while others went hyperlocal and handed out goods to families who had lost just about everything. Even Newark, NJ Mayor (and vegetarian) Cory Booker jumped into action, inviting constituents in his neighborhood who were without power to his home. We profile a few intrepid vegan companies that are contributing to the relief effort and share ways of what you can do to help.

Daily Bread
Once power shut down, refrigerators went caput and perishable food became inedible. And that’s when vegans got cooking. Popular vegan food truck The Cinnamon Snail stepped into action by serving free meals and offering charging stations in Rockaway Beach, Queens, and Staten Island, NY. Upon hearing about Cinnamon Snail’s pro-bono food delivery, independent media website Our Hen House partnered with Tofurky founder Seth Tibbot to put together a Tofurky Trot benefit in Portland, OR to assist with CS’ efforts. Meanwhile, hunger-relief and animal-protection nonprofit A Well-Fed World started gathering and preparing hundreds of meals and distributing them to the hardest hit areas such as Coney Island, Red Hook, Rockaway Beach, Staten Island, and Long Island. In just three days, AWFW members and the organization raised $5,250 for food and supplies for groups on the ground and individual volunteers. And Food Not Bombs, a food-relief group, hustled to cook and distribute meals all around New York and in turn are asking for volunteers, food donations, and kitchen supplies.

How to help: Donate to The Cinnamon Snail via PayPal (thecinnamonsnail@gmail.com) or you can donate cash at the truck. Follow CS’ daily schedule on Facebook. Donate to A Well-Fed World. For information on volunteering and donating goods and supplies, go to Food Not Bombs.

Animal Action
In the midst of disaster, companion animals suffer when separated from their guardians; during Sandy, it was no different. The Humane Society of the United States was there to help, rescuing more than 250 animals, taking care of 500 animals in emergency shelters, and helping reunite distraught caretakers with their furry friends (270-plus animals are now back home). The national nonprofit also set up an animal-rescue hotline for residents of Ocean and Monmouth Counties, NJ, and deployed pre-approved volunteers with animal-handling experience to help find lost cats and dogs.
How to help: Follow HSUS on Twitter (@HumaneSociety) to find shelter wish lists to donate pet supplies, or donate directly to HSUS’ Sandy relief efforts.

Handmade Help
Countless businesses have been setting aside a portion of sales to give to the Red Cross in the month of November and beyond. Gnosis Chocolates, maker of raw vegan chocolate bars and more, gave five percent of online sales. Etsy Shop Herban Lifestyle, an organic bath and body care line offering vegan shampoo bars and facial soap, donated 10 percent of its November sales. Lastly, the Teal Cat Project, an initiative co-founded by vegan chef and cookbook star Isa Chandra Moskowitz, chose Neighborhood Cat’s Hurricane Sandy Feral Relief Fund as its latest nonprofit to receive proceeds from the sale of adorable cat T-shirts, aprons, and stuffed dolls.
How to help: Purchase goods from Gnosis Chocolates, Herban Lifestyle, or the Teal Cat Project.

Whether you can donate your time or money, this holiday consider supporting some worthy causes—when many East Coast families devastated by Hurricane Sandy need it most.

Photo: Flickr/CasualCapture