Jaroslaw Waszkiewicz has lived in his Oak Street home in Lincoln Park for thirty years and in that time, he’s experienced his share of floods.

“In 2011, we had two feet of water in our first floor living space, but this time we only have water in our basement,” he said. Flood water, however, still surrounds his home like a moat. He and his wife have hunkered down to wait for the water to recede.

The houses around this area are decorated for the holidays. Three days after an excessive rainfall, at some homes, those decorations are still underwater. But some lawns are beginning to dry. Next to holiday décor you can see garbage bags and rowboats. Pump hoses are snaking across laws, spewing water from basements into the streets. This is what Red Crossers Muraad and Bedzaida saw when they drove an Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) into this neighborhood on Thursday.

Oak Street was still under water and when Jaroslaw heard and saw the Red Cross ERV driving around, he put on his waders and jacket and walked through the water to meet the Red Crossers on dry land.

_{“We’re OK,” Jaroslaw answered when Bedzaida asked how he was doing. “But I’m looking out for my elderly neighbors,” he continued. “We don’t have any power.”}

He was happy to hear that the Red Cross was providing food, water, and snacks to anyone in his community. Another neighbor paddled a rowboat over and Bedzaida and Muraad handed them a case of water, along with a carton filled with sandwiches, soup and macaroni and cheese so Jaroslaw could share the food and water with his neighbors.

“If this had happened over the summer, we would have been ok, but not in this cold weather,” said Jaroslaw. “So we really appreciate you being here for us.”

As additional neighbors came out to speak with the Red Cross and take advantage of the food provided, Jaroslaw picked up his puppy and waded back through the water to his home.

As of Thursday, December 21, the Red Cross and our partners have provided 17 overnight stays for more than 11 residents in the shelter opened at the Civic Center in Little Falls. Throughout flood-impacted areas in Northern New Jersey, a total of 1,187 meals and snacks have been provided. To date, 392 relief items including clean-up kits and other supplies have been provided to people in need. These relief operations are supported by 49 trained NJ Red Cross disaster workers.

YOU CAN HELP people affected by disasters like floods and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Financial donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.