Harvey Help From Montauk

Just as organizations throughout the country assisted Long Islanders in the 2012 aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, a Montauk-based nonprofit has partnered with a national organization to assist victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas. East End Cares has joined Team Rubicon, a nonprofit that deploys military veterans and first responders to the heart of disaster-stricken areas to help provide emergency services in Houston.  

An online fund-raising effort is underway, with East End Cares hoping to reach its $15,000 goal in order to send physical help to the area. Donors can text “Cares” to 87872 or make a donation at teamrubiconusa.org.

Marc DeNofio, a Team Rubicon representative, said the aid received so far had been greatly appreciated. In an email, he wrote: “The donations that arrive at Team Rubicon are coming from personal donations, corporations, and nonprofit partners such as the East End Cares. These donations help us provide our services in the immediate nature that they are needed.”

Assisting victims of Hurricane Harvey is Team Rubicon’s largest effort since its inception in 2010. According to the organization’s website, it has sent 212 volunteers to hurricane-impacted communities in Texas and another 495 have provided remote support.

Mr. DeNofio shared a firsthand story by Sandra Moore, a resident of Southwest Houston since 1984, who was not home when the flood waters reached her neighborhood. Trained water rescue volunteers, he said, safely guided her home to grab some necessary belongings and her cat.

“I was overwhelmingly impressed with this team. I tell everyone to support Team Rubicon. They’re the real deal. They’re professional, and kind, and I felt so safe with them. I was weeping frantically when they arrived, but I later cried with joy knowing they were here,”  Ms. Moore wrote.

While Team Rubicon’s efforts in Texas continue, the organization is also  monitoring the Category 5 Hurricane Irma, which is tied for the second-strongest ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. At press time it was charging toward the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the southeastern Bahamas, with reports that by the weekend or early next week it might hit Florida and the Southeast United States.