ALICE GAINER, Fox 5 News Reporter
Businesses in the tri-state area are declaring Sunday and the next five Sunday "Sandy Sunday."
The term was created because it's all in an effort for Staten Islanders to rebuild and the costs.
For people like Jimmy who's lived in his home off Midland Avenue for 17 years, the cost to sanitize and re-construct what was damaged when over seven feet of water rushed in won't come cheap or easy.
"My condition probably between a hundred thousand give or take."
He's received some money from FEMA but like many he's worried about the rest.
"I have a lot of bills -- I don't know how I'm going to pay my bills."
So today the Carl V. Bini Memorial Fund announced "Sandy Sunday". It's goal? To pump more money into the rebuilding process by asking people to shop and businesses to donate.
"You can give us a part of the proceeds, you can make a one-time pledge or you can just ask customers coming in to help with a monetary donation," said Massimo DiDonna – Co-Founder of the Carl V. Bini Memorial Fund.
Unlike Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, this isn't just a one-time effort.
It will continue for the next five Sundays until December 23rd. Businesses are being asked to sign up on the Sandy Sunday website and promote the cause.
And with the power still out for some people still lining up for supplies and so many homes uninhabitable here, that extra money is desperately needed.
Across the street from Jimmy on Midland Avenue is Tom Kane who lost 42 years' worth of memories when his home flooded.
"We're ten blocks from the beach here, so we didn't expect the water to come that far in," said Kane.
Tom says he's able to handle the repairs on his own -- but would like to see any money raised go towards others in the area who need it most. Others like Joe Spinelli who had just spent all his money remodeling his home only to have Sandy destroy it.
"It's tough we just got to try and get by and try to rebuild," said Spinelli.
And because rebuilding a home or business isn't something that can easily be put on a holiday wish list. The hope is that many will at least keep the folks in Staten Island in mind when shopping for gifts the next several Sundays.
