Many of those who were affected by Hurricane Sandy are in need of a lot of assistance as they had to evacuate or were displaced from their homes. While many are dealing with a time of tragedy, Hurricane Sandy has also brought out the kindness of strangers and businesses.The Wilshire Grand Hotel in New Jersey and its guests and staff has shown many instances of kindness during this trying time.
The Wilshire Grand Hotel is one of many hotels that are housing Hurricane Sandy victims who can no longer live in their homes after the storm hit New Jersey and other areas on Oct. 29. The hotel is accepting room and supply donations for those who need assistance.
This program started when a customer who was supposed to be in New Jersey on the day of the storm for a wedding canceled his room reservation. General manager Ed Reagoso decide the waive the cancellation fee that is usually in place because of the weather.
"When I explained we were not charging for the cancellation because we were delighted to have a room become available for a local family that's been displaced due to Sandy, the customer requested we keep his room reservation for someone in the area that really needed it" Ed Reagoso explained in a release. "Within the next 48 hours, three other guests and business partners of the hotel offered to do the exact same thing."
The Wilshire Grand has taken its assistance measure to a whole other level by matching all donations and room reservations that guests donate for Hurricane Sandy victim. When they informed their guests about their plan through social media, they received money donations, Starbucks gift cards, toiletries, and non-perishable goods for victims within three days.
"I remain no less than amazed at the resilience and empathy of our brothers and sisters nationwide to help take care of our own. I will continue to assist our displaced neighbors and friends. I won't whine because I have no power at home yet. I will simply be grateful and feel blessed that I live in such a great country that when the rubber hits the road, we're not republican, independents, or democrats. We're Americans and we share the same desire to take care of each other & rebuild at times of crisis such as this" Reagoso said.
Christina Gillham, who lost power because of the storm, recalled her pleasant experience the she and her family had while staying at the Willshire on Baristanet.
"The hotel place exceeded our expectations, going out of its way to make sure we were comfortable and taken care of. The staff was attentive and made sure to keep up updated when reservations became available on other nights should our power outage last longer than we hoped.
On Halloween night, with the help of another guest displaced by the storm, the hotel put out treats for the kids, face paint, and art activities. My kids loved it," Gillham wrote.
The Wilshire Grand Hotel was providing shelter to eight families who lost their homes due to the hurricane and offered relief to those who lost power.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
