Doing your part

Around this time of year, we like to celebrate how fortunate we are by gathering with friends and family to feast. And as with any celebration of abundance, it is essential to remember those less fortunate than those of us who don’t necessarily have the privilege of eating a warm meal.

Although every Thanksgiving should focus on helping those less fortunate, this year calls for a special effort in helping those close to home. The damages caused by Hurricane Sandy will leave many unable to not only celebrate Thanksgiving, but also to have a warm meal on an average night.

So what can you do? Take the actions of Humans of New York as an example of how easy it is to help.

If you’ve ever been bored on Tumblr, or hail from the New York City area, you may know Humans of New York (HONY) as the quirky blog that documents the unique population of New York one person at a time. Photographer Brandon Stanton started this project in 2010, but now has organized a relief donation campaign for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

In collaboration with Tumblr CEO David Karp, the campaign encourages groups of three to five individuals to raise donations in any way they can. The three groups with the highest donation total will have signed portraits featured on the blog as well as a chance to have lunch with Stanton and Karp.

The campaign was started on Nov. 13 at 9 p.m. Nineteen hours later, there has been over 100,000 dollars raised for the cause, surpassing the HONY’s initial goal and Karp’s expectations of the campaign’s success.

Using something as simple as a fashion/photography blog, one man was able to light the spark that has grown into a wildfire of generosity that will surely bring warmth to those in need.

We’re not saying you need to get 300,000 followers on Tumblr and start your own fundraising campaign (though if you feel like you can, go for it). But this just shows how easy it is to get involved.

Whether you donate to campaigns like those started by HONY, or offer physical help like the students and alumni who went to the beach this past weekend, it only takes a small sacrifice to help those who have lost so much by no fault of their own.