Far Rockaway

It has been nearly 2 weeks since Hurricane Sandy hit New York, and by the look of things in Times Square you would think things are back to normal. Locals and tourists hustling and bustling on he street, getting lost in the splendor of the lights of the Theater District. About 20 miles Southeast of Manhattan, in Far Rockaway Queens, its a different story. Power is still out, gas is still difficult to come by, and many streets are lined with debris from damaged houses, and mounds of sand brought in from the beach by Sandy. Work crews from the US Army Corp of Engineers to Hydro-Quebec to a constant stream of volunteers help restore the power, clean the streets and houses, and bring overall relief for the ravaged area and its people.

Yesterday afternoon I went out and helped my brother, his son, and his lady do a bit of volunteering. They prepared some a variety of cold sandwiches (PB & J, ham and turkey) to hand out to all those who were hungry. We drove in and we reported to St. Francis de Sales, a community hub where food and clothing has been dropped off to be sorted, a place where people can get a hot meal, find daycare for their children, it is even a place to seek legal council from the aftermath of the storm.

From St. Francis we walked up an down the streets on the south side of the peninsula asking everyone, residents, volunteers and workers if they needed food. It is on these streets between Rockaway Beach Boulevard and the beach where we saw how extensive the damage was to homes.

And property.

Although the images I took are those of the destructive effects of the storm, I have to say that many of the people we encountered seemed to be in good spirits. And we could see that they were finding support amongst family, friends, and neighbors.

Far Rockaway was hit hard by this Sandy but it’s one area of many that are still effected by this storm. Parts of lower Manhattan still remain without power. Red Hook in Brooklyn is still without power and in need of assistance. Long Beach on Long Island also has to undergo major work to in the aftermath of this superstorm.

There are many great organizations helping with the relief effort. If you’re looking to help try local houses of worship. Religion aside, these places are community hubs and drop-off points for donations. Also check out Occupy Sandy.

Many hands make light work…..