The recent devastation from Sandy has brought a range of emotions from heartbreak and rage to deeds of heroism and extraordinary acts of kindness. As one of the most fortunate on the East Coast, my life went on relatively untouched by the storm; however I gained a great deal from observation.

What I saw amid the ruins were communities of people stripped of all non-essentials (and in many cases - essentials).  In these darkened days what has came to light is that we have…