“Buffalo Blizzards” — a Facebook Page for Help from Their Neighbors After the Last Superstorm
“Buffalo Blizzards” now has more than 67,000 members. The page was started by its admin after the storm that hit the city with feet of snow. For this latest snowstorm, she says membership skyrocketed, with at least 46,000 new members joining since Friday.
A lot of posts ask for baby formula and diapers. Others are seeking rides to dialysis appointments — a service that the county says it is providing to people who call a blizzard assistance hotline number. A driving ban that went on for six days made it hard for people to get to their grocery store or pharmacy, forcing neighbors to go together in the aftermath. And for as many people who are asking for help, there are those offering assistance.
Anyone else needs a driveway cleared? one person volunteers. A link to a long list of towed cars is posted by someone else. A poster encourages everyone to add to the list of open restaurants that are giving meals.
“This is an instrumental tool that allows us to talk to each other in real time and get each other help,” explains Mark Johnson, a Buffalo resident whose offer of supplies and rides has more than 180 replies.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2022/12/29/1145882657/buffalos-snowbound-residents-turn-to-a-facebook-group-for-help-from-their-neighb
The Buffalo Good Neighbors – a story of two pastors who saved 154 people in the face of a historic snow storm
Johnson has been driving around the city, illegally, for two days before the driving ban lifted. He says he’s been stopped by police three times, and issued two tickets.
“Unless they’re going to impound my car, I’m just gonna keep racking up these tickets,” Johnson says by phone from the parking lot of Kensington Pizza on Wednesday, where he’s cramming more supplies (and hot pizzas) into an SUV already packed to the ceiling with donations to deliver.
Johnson says that he feels obligated to take on this task, which he describes as like a tag. “It’s not about, ‘Oh, I hope somebody helps out,’ because you’re the hope that was sent!”
Aquilina says in a message that “hundred to thousands of people depended on the information being communicated”, while there’s no substantiated number of people assisted by this group.
With the group’s cell data and phones out, Aquilina has been working long hours through the power and blizzards to approve every one of the 5,000 posts.
And the pace isn’t slowing down now that the storm has passed — the timing of the weather meant a missed payday, so some people can’t afford to buy supplies and are relying on donations coordinated through the group.
The city of Buffalo is known for its Good Neighbors and Aquilina suggests that if you read through the posts you will see many people helping each other.
Thanks to the couple’s kindness in the face of a deadly storm, they have added more than 100 people to their family.
The couple, both pastors at Spirit of Truth Urban Ministry in Buffalo, New York, rescued and housed a total of 154 people in the last few days as a historic blizzard pummeled the city, leaving thousands without power, others stranded in their homes or cars and left Erie County with a death toll of 39.
Al Robinson told CNN that he and his co-conspirators were able to deliver up to 154 people to the church in order to not freeze to death. “I wish that I could say that for everyone.”
The rescue efforts began Friday, Robinson said, when a worrisome amount of snow began piling up in the city. Robinson and his wife knew that the only building in their area with power was their church.
Vivian Robinson then posted a simple message on Facebook: “If you’re stuck in the lovejoy area, our doors to the church are open to you.” The phone number and address were included in her post.
The Big Crusade: Christmas with a Big Family in a Small World,” said M. Clemens-Robinson
He said that it began with ten people, two big families, and then went to 30, 60, 90, 100, 120, 128 and finally 154. “We had people sleeping everywhere in our church, but we were the only ones with the electricity.”
In order to get the word out, she continued posting on Facebook. Videos served as makeshift journals for viewers and photo galleries showed both the devastation of the snowstorm along with the warmth of a community coming together in a time of need.
“Honestly, it was total strangers. Robinson said that there were Asian people, Hispanic people, Arabic people, and Nigerian people here. “We had just every possible minority was in our church, and we were all getting together, we celebrated Christmas together.”
“It’s actually wonderful, because I have this huge family now that where we are, you know, trauma bonded through the storm and it’s just, it’s just beautiful,” Robinson said. “These people are so filled with love… It’s incredible.”