Hurricane Sandy: Lessons Learned
By Kasia Gladki
When Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on the Lower East Side, Henry Street employees were quick to address the needs of the community. Two Settlement staff members, Cindy Singh, Director of Meals on Wheels, and Betsy Smith, Director of NORC/Vladeck Cares, recently shared details of the agency’s outreach to seniors throughout the crisis during their presentation at the 18th Annual Jarvie Colloquium, MINDFUL AGING, on June 20, 2013.
Their workshop, “Superstorm Sandy: Successes and Lessons Learned Helping the Older Adult Population,” was co-led by Elaine Rockoff, Director of Community Based Programs, Jewish Association Serving the Aging (JASA) and addressed efforts to meet the needs of older adults and the surrounding community both before and after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. They shared experiences and lessons learned, highlighted the importance of developing and updating Emergency Response Plans, and emphasized the value of maintaining strong connections with community partners.
The all-day event was held at the Interchurch Center on Riverside Drive. Magaret Rieff, CEO, Jarvie Commonweal Service, gave opening remarks and Marc E. Agronin, M.D., kicked-off things with a plenary session on “The Creative Age: An Exploration of Late Life Potential.”
