[NJFemmie]

I've been out of power since the storm, so I am seeing the devastation for the first time. I am floored. In my area, we were spared considering the amount of damage elsewhere in the state and in New York. All of my family lives up north, and they are still out of power and struggle to get gas for their cars and generators. Some are having issues with water and general supplies. Some of Mare's family is still without power and something simple as food is hard to come by.

I bitched and moaned about not having power, which was a struggle in itself, but seeing the aftermath humbles me to no end. Now I see why utility resources were sent north at the onset of this storm. Hearing the news on a radio does not compare to actually seeing the images.

It is peaceful and quiet here. There is a constant sound of chain saws working around the clock - and obviously evidence of storm damage all around us, but we are not having the same issues as most. It's hard to come by certain supplies here, but for the most part, my area is up and running. There are no lines to get gas. Supermarkets, fast food chains and general stores are all open and operating. We have little or no flood damage in our area. Keeping all of that in mind, it's hard for me to imagine going through what a lot of people have experienced because of this storm, and for that, my heart cries for all those affected.

Earlier I posed a link that the Governor of this state created to help victims of the storm. Please repost wherever you can (Facebook pages, twitter, etc...) and please spread the word so that the little things - ice, dry ice, water, food, blankets, batteries, medical supplies - can be sent to those who need it most.