Sunday - 11.11.2012
Thanks to all that donated, today was the day we were able to buy the first round of gift cards and distribute them to Staten Island families who were victims of Hurricane Sandy! We were so happy to be able to place the gift cards directly into the hands of some of the people who need them:
A family of 7 lost their home in Midland Beach. Mom is a nurse for who worked in one of the evacuation centers during the storm. While she was taking care of other victims of Sandy, her own home was being destroyed. Today they received school supplies, socks and toiletries a $100 gift card to Shoprite and a $50 gift card to Lowes.
A young family in Great Kills have twin 9 month olds and need supplies to fix their home. Today they received a $100 gift card to Lowes.
I met the next beneficiary, Gary, completely by chance. Last weekend on the day of the would be marathon, my very good friend and classmate from Wagner, Kristie, travelled over from Astoria to the island by the ferry to help clean up in devastated areas. After I picked her up from the ferry we went over to this amazing donation center on the corner of Quincy & Seaview Ave. in South Beach that is now called Ocean Breeze Angel Relief. We had originally gone to that street to help clean up that area but it turned out that on that day they were outsourcing volunteers (including marathon runners!) to go help people in need in other neighborhoods. We were instructed to go a specific address in Great Kills. When we arrived to our destination that family had just finished their clean up, however, they pointed to their neighbor across the street, Gary, a single guy who lives with his german shephard puppy, Annie, who needed major help cleaning up his driveway. At first he felt bad accepting the help from 4 young women, but we more or less told him that we weren't taking no for an answer. That day we learned that Gary is a professional musician who lost his entire recording studio in his basement due to the hurricane. As we dragged the contents of his once loved studio to the curb to be picked up by sanitation, he told us a story with each sentimental item we found. Today we presented him with a $100 gift card to Lowes which will hopefully go towards rebuilding his recording studio : )
A family of 7 lost their home in Midland Beach. Mom is a nurse for who worked in one of the evacuation centers during the storm. While she was taking care of other victims of Sandy, her own home was being destroyed. Today they received school supplies, socks and toiletries a $100 gift card to Shoprite and a $50 gift card to Lowes.
A young family in Great Kills have twin 9 month olds and need supplies to fix their home. Today they received a $100 gift card to Lowes.
I met the next beneficiary, Gary, completely by chance. Last weekend on the day of the would be marathon, my very good friend and classmate from Wagner, Kristie, travelled over from Astoria to the island by the ferry to help clean up in devastated areas. After I picked her up from the ferry we went over to this amazing donation center on the corner of Quincy & Seaview Ave. in South Beach that is now called Ocean Breeze Angel Relief. We had originally gone to that street to help clean up that area but it turned out that on that day they were outsourcing volunteers (including marathon runners!) to go help people in need in other neighborhoods. We were instructed to go a specific address in Great Kills. When we arrived to our destination that family had just finished their clean up, however, they pointed to their neighbor across the street, Gary, a single guy who lives with his german shephard puppy, Annie, who needed major help cleaning up his driveway. At first he felt bad accepting the help from 4 young women, but we more or less told him that we weren't taking no for an answer. That day we learned that Gary is a professional musician who lost his entire recording studio in his basement due to the hurricane. As we dragged the contents of his once loved studio to the curb to be picked up by sanitation, he told us a story with each sentimental item we found. Today we presented him with a $100 gift card to Lowes which will hopefully go towards rebuilding his recording studio : )
This is just a portion of the remains of Gary's recording studio.
Next up is a very special family in Midland Beach. This is a wonderful family of five: mother, father, two sons and a daughter. Both of their sons are parapalegics. As of today their house has been completely gutted, with the help of the Michael J. Petrides School chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Inspectors told them yesterday that their floor boards need to be ripped up and filled with cement in order for the house to not be deemed condemned. The $100 gift card to Lowe's that they received today will help with some of the costs : )
The family mentioned above has a nephew who has been in contact with my mother in trying to place them in a house facility that is handicap accessible for the two boys. He too is a victim of Hurrican Sandy, his house being completely destroyed as well, but rarely discusses it because he is so concentrated on helping his aunt and uncle. He also received $100 to Lowe's today.
The last stop today was the very first street I had visited after the storm, Quincy Avenue. When I first travelled there I was shocked to see a girl I know, Laura, helping to sort donations. When if she lived around there she just pointed across the street to a house that was absolutely decrepid and destroyed. She received a $100 gift card to Lowe's today.
Laura's House
Laura's next door neighbor, a man in his 80's named Jimmy passed away in the hurricane. His family members who live on the same street and around the corner also lost everything during sandy. His relative, Billy, was the very first victim of Sandy who I spoke with. He doesn't know it but it was because of his input that I decided to put all of the funds raised on this site towards gift cards that would purchase supplies to help rebuild their homes. He received $100 to Lowe's along with his relatives, Janet, Diane and Janice, each receiving $100 to Lowe's for their own houses.
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO DONATED!! MORE TO COME : )
Saturday - 11.10.2012
Today I was visited by Kristen Koed of Wagner College, her family and friends from her hometown in Massachusetts as well as her current residence in Astoria. These amazing people organized a 3 part donation drive with their site of delivery being Staten Island. Yesterday, Kristen, her mom Diane, Her uncle Mike and her friend Jesse arrived at my house in a huge Budget Truck full of supplies to distribute to the families of Staten Island. Some of the items went straight into the hands of residents, and whatever was left we gave to a distribution center on Father Capodanno Blvd. & Oceanside Ave called Rebuild Staten Island. They are not currently accepting any more donations, however they will need major help distributing in the days to come. Anyone looking to volunteer just head on over there to help sort donations. For more info on this distribution center visit: http://rebuildstatenisland.org/
Tuesday - 11.6.2012
This just in: Project: Rebuild Staten Island has now reached $1,151.00!! Thank you to all those who have donated and supported this cause. Starting this weekend we will be using this fund to purchase gift cards to Home Depot and distributing them throughout the community. I will be sure to post the stories of the Staten Islanders whose lives you have helped to rebuild by donating to this project.
To the Wagner College community, faculty and alumni: I am overwhelmed by the amount of support and outreach P:RSI has received from you. From faculty members and friends sharing this link, to class members of mine who are setting up multi-state donation campaigns, to alumni who are eager to put together benefit shows.. I am truly grateful to be part of the Wagner Community. Advocacy, civic engagement, and philanthropy played a major role in my Wagner College experience, and it's times like these I am reminded of how these characteristics are a part of every single member of not only the Wagner family, but the Project: Rebuild Staten Island family as well.
Let's continue to make a difference!
To the Wagner College community, faculty and alumni: I am overwhelmed by the amount of support and outreach P:RSI has received from you. From faculty members and friends sharing this link, to class members of mine who are setting up multi-state donation campaigns, to alumni who are eager to put together benefit shows.. I am truly grateful to be part of the Wagner Community. Advocacy, civic engagement, and philanthropy played a major role in my Wagner College experience, and it's times like these I am reminded of how these characteristics are a part of every single member of not only the Wagner family, but the Project: Rebuild Staten Island family as well.
Let's continue to make a difference!
Sunday - 11.4.2012
Listen up people!!! Project: Rebuild Staten Island has only been live for two days and $851 has already been raised!! Thank you to all who have been sharing this link and spreading the word.. you're amazing! Today $200 of this donated money was put towards 4 packs of commercial garbage bags, 5 pairs of workman gloves, 50 hand heating packs, 50 toe heating packets, 2 shovels, 5 storage bins and extra large ziploc bags that were distributed to the Quincy & Seaview Avenue and Robinson Avenue sites. There is much to be done people so lets keep it going!!!
Attention all.. si residents are in desperate need of the following items:Shovels
Granola Bars
Heavy Duty Plastic Bags
STORAGE BINS with lids
Shelving
Gloves (latex, work gloves, cold weather gloves)
Antibacterial Wipes
Shaving Cream
Razors
Shampoo
Conditioner
Body Wash
Deodorant
Body Wipes
Folding Tables
Folding Chairs
Flashlights
Batteries
Ziploc Bags
Dog/Cat Food
Cat Litter
Instant heating pads for hands and feet!
People seem to have more than enough clothing so it would be very helpful if we could focus on gathering these things or if you would like to donate funds go to www.projectrebuildsiny.weebly.com, your money will be going towards these items and/or Home Depot and Loews gift cards!
Welcome to Project: Rebuild Staten Island. Our mission is to distribute any goods, products and provide aid to Staten Island families who have experienced the loss of their houses and belongings due to Hurricane Sandy. The funds raised here will go towards furniture, carpeting, sheet rock, tools, mattresses, food, clothing, toiletries.. anything and everything that will help Staten Islanders rebuild their homes!
I am a 3rd generation Staten Islander, graduate of The Michael J. Petrides School and Wagner College. My roots are firmly embedded in this beautiful, most times forgotten borough. Staten Island has given so much to me in my life and now my friends, family and I are teaming up to give back to this place we love. Please join us in our cause to rebuild Staten Island!
Once we get to raising some much needed money I will be sure to post photos and videos of what we were able to buy and who we were able to give to! Please stay tuned for updates!
I am a 3rd generation Staten Islander, graduate of The Michael J. Petrides School and Wagner College. My roots are firmly embedded in this beautiful, most times forgotten borough. Staten Island has given so much to me in my life and now my friends, family and I are teaming up to give back to this place we love. Please join us in our cause to rebuild Staten Island!
Once we get to raising some much needed money I will be sure to post photos and videos of what we were able to buy and who we were able to give to! Please stay tuned for updates!