Dear Councilmembers,
I am writing to request that you approve the grant money for MPC Ready. We are a Neighbor Helping Neighbor organization with the emphasis on emergency preparedness and response. The need has been very apparent in these last two winters. The Menlo Park community has experienced prolonged power outages and flooding. We have realized that our first reliable source of aid is in our neighborhood.
We take neighborhood response very seriously and it cannot be done alone. In addition to our local neighborhood block coordinators, we communicate and collaborate with other neighborhood organizations, community based organizations such as CERT and our local
government. Our educational programs help to facilitate this collaboration. However, practice makes perfect. We plan some hands-on activities in our neighborhoods to gain the experience of an effective response.
Redundancy is the hallmark of disaster preparedness. I hope the council realizes that our efforts, in conjunction with other organizations, will provide a robust response to an emergent situation. And neighbors knowing neighbors makes for a vibrant Menlo Park Community. As our community population ebbs and flows (especially with the increased housing), we need to continually ensure that our neighborhoods remain friendly and resilient.
Respectfully,
Sandta Leigh Bardas
President-Elect MPCReady
1343 Hoover Street
650-996-1395
