Helping Hand

In the days following September 11, I was part of one of many groups of university students in New York that helped rally together supplies, food, and anything else that could aid the rescue workers downtown. One of my most vivid memories from that time is going to the kitchen door of Daniel juggling hundreds of sandwiches in plastic bags. Never did I imagine I’d be delivering peanut butter and jelly to Daniel — one of the most posh Michelin three-starred restaurants in Manhattan — yet, there we were, in the kitchen. And it was inspiring.

The recent event in Haiti has once more echoed the commitment that strangers from all over the world can have to each other in moments of severe need and desperation. If you’re interested too in joining the ongoing efforts to provide aid, there are dozens of ways to get involved, from purchasing red velvet Sprinkles cupcakes whose profits will go to the American Red Cross, to donating funds to the World Food Programme, where a six month operation to provide food to the impacted areas is being prepared.

And whether or not you choose to get involved now, the opportunity to help is never lost. Every day of the year, there are vulnerable populations in grave need of aid. Have a look in your neighborhood or in the global community for ways to help at anytime.

[Photo via Pretty Bourgeois]