#NoStormCanSinkUs

How the NJ Tech Meetup responded to Superstorm Sandy and helped raise over $32,000.

 

I am so proud of what we all accomplished as a community rallying around a common goal.

 

I was asked to share some thoughts at the Stevens 1 Year Sandy Anniversary event. Here is my presentation.

 

See below for the background on HealHoboken.org.

 

Thanks again to everyone who made this happen.

 

- Aaron

After Hurricane Sandy devastated Hoboken, the NJ Tech Meetup sprang into action. We launched HealHoboken.org in just 24 hours to raise funds for the town by offering shirts and hoodies with donations. In the weeks since, tons of people and organizations, both locally and globally, have stepped in to help spread the word, rebuild the site, add more products to offer with donations, get in touch with press, and so much more. You can find a list of them, below. With your help, we can all heal hoboken together.

If you don’t live here, you may not know much about Hoboken, perhaps outside of Carlo's Bakery and the place you pass through to get to NYC. But to many of us, it's home. It's where we meet friends, send our kids to school, and fight for places to park. It's also where we host the monthly NJ Tech Meetup, and many of us from the group have teamed up to Heal Hoboken.

 

Last week Hurricane Sandy ravaged the state. Over 50% of Hoboken was flooded. Schools, homes, and hospitals were damaged or destroyed.

 

And tonight, as we launch HealHoboken, more than 50% of the town remains without power and many are homeless or living in a shelter on this 43 degree night.

 

New Jersey and the country have come together in amazing ways during Hurricane Sandy. The few in Hoboken who had power during the storm setup power strips out of their windows, put out free coffee for all, and salvaged trick or treating to give our children (including mine) a Halloween they could always remember for how it brought out the best in people, instead of the worst in a storm.

 

Today, we need your help. A bunch of us from the NJ Tech Meetup - which gathers monthly in Hoboken to feature startups and speakers - have teamed together to help Heal Hoboken. To make that happen we need you.

 

Jack designed this awesome site and the clothing, Danny lent his technical wizardry to make it work, Adam gave us a name and shared with us his touching photos. Scott offered Positive Internet’s services to host this site. And now we need you.

 

With your help, let's raise over $100,000 to help Heal Hoboken.

 

Let's rebuild the Hoboken Boys & Girls Club. Let's rebuild the schools that are closed indefinitely for our children. Let's help our neighbors get back on their feet.

 

Buy a tshirt or a hoodie and wear it with pride. You’ll be representing a town that doesn’t give up, that doesn’t let each other down, and whose perseverance no storm can sink.

 

And if you’re feeling really generous, we’ll include a couple of nights to visit us at the W Hotel Hoboken.

 

All proceeds to go to the Hoboken Relief Fund.

 

Sincerely,

We’re planning on giving all of the proceeds to the Hoboken Relief Fund. We will verify that it is legitimate before making any donations. If there is any concern (which there currently isn’t), we’ll donate the money to the American Red Cross.

 

We’ll ship orders in about 30 days.

 

Jack, Danny, Adam, Scott, and Aaron. See below. We all met via the NJ Tech Meetup, NJ’s largest technology community, based in Hoboken. The group meets monthly at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken with 150 of our friends to talk entrepreneurship and technology. We’re proud of NJ’s very strong role in the region’s growing technology scene. Join us at www.njtechmeetup.com

 

The NJ Tech Meetup is a 501c(6) corporation. We’ve also been written up in the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, BetaBeat, and NJ.com. (links coming soon)

 

In the comments section when you checkout, be sure to tell us the sizes you’d like for each item.

 

We’ll do our best, but may have to charge you a little more. If so, we’ll let you know later.

 

Yes. A friend who is a reporter at CNN reminded me how, after 9/11, the Red Cross was left with tons of supplies and a big challenge on how to distribute them. What they really needed was cash.

 

Spread the word on Twitter, Facebook, or just email your friends. Please share our campaign whether you buy stuff here or not!

Organization’s Goal to Raise $100,000 Underpinned by New Marketplace Functionality that Showcases Products and Services from Hoboken Businesses Offered at Significant Savings

 

Hoboken, New Jersey – November 29, 2012 – HealHoboken.org, a campaign by the NJ Tech Meetup community aiming to raise $100,000 to help rebuild the city of Hoboken in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, today announced the launch of its new website that adds marketplace functionality and now showcases products and services from local businesses.

 

On October 29, Hurricane Sandy devastated the city of Hoboken, flooding over 50 percent of the city, leaving schools, homes, and hospitals damaged or destroyed. Within a few days, Aaron Price, founder of NJ Tech Meetup, in conjunction with members of the local technology community launched /www.healhoboken.org, a website that has already raised over $25,000 by selling specially designed t-shirts and sweatshirts.

 

Powered by Magento, a division of X.commerce, (an eBay Inc. company), and implemented by Hoboken-based Redstage Networks, a leading ecommerce solutions agency, the new healhoboken.org website takes advantage of enterprise features and a marketplace that allows the organization to accept donations from businesses and offer them at significant discounts. All of the proceeds from each transaction will directly benefit the Hoboken Relief Fund. In addition to t-shirts and sweatshirts, the website now offers gift cards, hotel rooms, and restaurant specials; other products and services from Hoboken businesses are being added every day.

 

“We're honored to support HealHoboken.org and their work to rebuild the lives of those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Our hearts go out to those affected and we wish a fast and speedy recovery,” said Roy Rubin, Chief Operating Officer of X.commerce and Magento.

 

“This is a win-win-win for Hoboken, the technology community and local businesses,” explained Price. “With the holiday shopping season upon us, people who want to support Hoboken can do so through the site. They will not only find great deals and gift ideas, but also support Hoboken’s participating retail shops, restaurants and businesses, essentially helping the local economy which is of vital importance as we rebuild from the storm.”

 

W Hotel, Village Pourhouse, East LA, EatDrinkNJ, StearClear, Adameaus Designs, and Clean Popo are a few of the businesses who have already pledged products, services and gift cards for the website. Business interested in donating can contact Christine Curatolo at christine.curatolo@gmail.com.

 

As part of the implementation, Redstage Networks was instrumental in working with Magento to donate a license of the Magento Enterprise eCommerce platform. Additionally, HealHoboken.org integrated PayPal for payment processing, which reduced transaction costs by more than 30% compared to the previous provider.

 

For more information on Hoboken Relief Fund and to make a donation, please visit www.healhoboken.org.

 

Based in Hoboken, NJ, Redstage is a leading ecommerce solutions agency. We create solutions with high sales conversion through elegant technology while promoting brand experience. Our unmatched industry expertise coupled with the Magento ecommerce technology produces more sales from your digital channel. Having worked on over 200 Magento projects, Redstage is the most advanced and experienced agency in the industry. For more information, visit: http://www.redstage.com.

 

Heal Hoboken was launched in less than 24 hours after Hurricane Sandy by members of the NJ Tech Meetup community and is a collaboration between members of the group, including Jack Zerby, Danny Duran, Adam Saynuk, Scott Molski, Heather Ryan, Eden Golomb, Christine Curatolo, Domenick Cilea and Aaron Price. Positive Internet, RedStage, eBay, Paypal, and Magento have also offered their services to the effort. The team met via the NJ Tech Meetup, NJ’s largest technology community, based in Hoboken. The group meets monthly at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken and hosts speakers on subjects related to entrepreneurship and technology. For more information, visit: www.njtechmeetup.com.

 

Hoboken, New Jersey – November 15, 2012 – NJ Tech Meetup, New Jersey’s largest technology community, today announced that it has established Heal Hoboken, a relief effort aimed to raise $100,000 to help rebuild the city of Hoboken in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. All proceeds from Heal Hoboken will be donated to the Hoboken Relief Fund.

 

On October 29th, Hurricane Sandy devastated the city of Hoboken, flooding over 50 percent of the city, leaving schools, homes, and hospitals damaged or destroyed. Aaron Price, founder of NJ Tech Meetup, in conjunction with members of the NJ Tech meetup community, have teamed together to help raise funds for Hoboken by designing t-shirts and sweatshirts to sell through www.healhoboken.org.

 

“We saw the way New Jersey and the country were coming together in amazing ways after the storm and immediately noticed Hoboken residents doing everything possible to help each other out,” said Price. “The NJ Tech Meetup calls Hoboken home and we want to ensure this city is rebuilt to be better and stronger than ever.”

 

Heal Hoboken has raised nearly $20,000 in its first 10 days and will be accepting donations through December 5 in an effort to collect $100,000.

 

For more information on Heal Hoboken and to make a donation, please visit www.healhoboken.org

 

Heal Hoboken was launched in less than 24 hours after Hurricane Sandy by members of the NJ Tech Meetup community and is a collaboration between members of the group, including Jack Zerby, Danny Duran, Adam Saynuk, Scott Molski, Heather Ryan, Eden Golomb, Christine Curatolo, Domenick Cilea and Aaron Price. Positive Internet, RedStage, eBay, Paypal, and Magento have also offered their services to the effort. The team met via the NJ Tech Meetup, NJ’s largest technology community, based in Hoboken. The group meets monthly at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken and hosts speakers on subjects related to entrepreneurship and technology. For more information on NJ Tech’s role in the region’s growing technology scene, visit www.njtechmeetup.com