Many members have written to express concern over people affected by Hurricane Sandy, and asking what they could do to assist with relief activities on the East Coast. The Nurse Practitioner Association of New York State has started a fund to collect financial donations on behalf of The NPA to the American Red Cross. With National Nurse Practitioner Week taking place through Nov. 17, a great way to honor the NP profession is to contribute to those in dire need. The NPA will match member contributions, dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000. Their goal is to collect $10,000 in contributions and present the Red Cross with a check for $20,000. Donations began on Nov. 7, and run until Sunday, Nov. 25. Donate via thenpa.org, or send a check to: 12 Corporate Drive, Clifton Park, NY 12065. Please take this time to help those in need. Note: In addition to The NPA Cares initiative, contributions to the American Red Cross are being solicited nationwide at www.redcross.org/. Approximately 200 Red Cross personnel are on site, and no further assistance is needed at this time. However, there may be a later need as rehabilitation slowly unfolds. The Red Cross will only utilize people who have gone through their training program. If you are a Red Cross clinician volunteer, you can contact your local Red Cross for more information. Likewise, if you desire to be a Red Cross Volunteer, you can find more information here. The same rules apply if you wish to volunteer through FEMA or the Public Health Service. Currently, there are 1,000 public health service personnel on site. For additional information regarding participation in Sandy relief efforts, click on the following FEMA links: http://www.fema.gov/ or http://www.fema.gov/hurricane-sandy-donate-and-volunteer.