A BUSINESSMAN has launched a fundraising drive to ease the suffering of Hurricane Sandy's victims after hearing firsthand from a friend caught up its destruction.
Peter Kemsley contacted his friend Joe La Vacca, who lives in Staten Island, one of the worst hit parts of New York, straight after seeing the devastation on the news last month.
He said: “He emailed me and said his neighbours were both dead and part of his house had gone, he had no light, no power, it was pouring with rain, it was dark and he couldn't leave his home because the looters were out trying to take what's left.”
Spurred on to help his friend and others like him, the 61-year-old, who runs 4Networking, enabling entrepreneurs in the borough to get together, used his contacts to rally other professionals to help the campaign.
Mr Kemsley, who lives near Chelsea Harbour in Fulham, created Joe's Mo, giving sentinence to his moustache as a hook for social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
He hopes by asking for just £3 from each donor, enough people will put their hands in their pockets to reach the £100,000 target. And says using social media enables the campaign to direct the cash to where it is most needed.
He said: “At first they needed coats and warm clothes but then few days later it was things like black bin bags which were most useful.”
His campaign has even impressed former president Bill Clinton who gave his support after Mr Kemsley saw him in Claridge's Hotel in central london and asked to speak to him.
It may be easy to think Americans hit by the terrible storm do not need the help, living in the country with the largest economy in the world. But Mr Kemsley said this is not the case.
He added: “It's not Manhattan, it's not rich, it's a working class suburb and in my experience America isn't very good at dealing with tragedy on its own doorstep. They need our help now.”
