Sandy cleanup continues in Breezy Point thanks to volunteers
Posted:
Updated:
By DAN BOWENS, @danbowensfox5
MYFOXNY.COM -
Volunteers in Queens are helping Sandy victims not only rebuild their homes, but their wardrobes as well.
One month later - and cleanup from Hurricane Sandy is still overwhelming for many homeowners in Breezy Point, Queens.
"We've been down here many, many days since Sandy and you realize and you think you're going to do a whole room and it doesn't get done," said Regina McKenemon.
Jack and Regina McKenemon weren't sure how they would get all the water logged material out of their home-- until volunteers from Operation Blessing International and others showed up to help.
Operation Blessing has already helped nearly 250 families but there's more work to do and they need more volunteers.
"The residents here are very much overwhelmed because this has never happened. For us who see disasters all the time, we try to comfort and let them know 'Hey we're here to try to help out the best we know how,'" said Clifton Wright of Operation Blessing.
And while they work to rebuild homes here...
"This is a little different; it's lip gloss and girly things," said a participant at Dalton's Grill.
It was a different type of cleanup inside Dalton's Grill in the Rockaways, this -- a bit more cosmetic and those impacted by the storm picked up new donated designer clothes and other goods.
The Glam4Good Event founded by Mary Alice Stephenson and friend, Eugene Brennan.
"When you feel like you look good – you can do good and many of these women have come up to me and said thank you for Glam4Good because it made us laugh, it made us feel pretty -- we've cut so many tough things to worry about," said Stephenson.
"It's been hard. We had to leave our home and go stay with family," said Mary-Ellen Gortano.
Gortano and son Jake know about living through those tough things --- it's why she was so relieved to finally start replacing some of the nicer things lost to the storm.
"It feels nice coming in here, it's Christmasy and bright," said Gortano. "And when you go outside it's so dark and gloomy and sad -- So it's nice, it feels special."
Wednesday, May 22 2013 11:01 PM EDT2013-05-23 03:01:11 GMT
Authorities say two New York City men and a New Jersey man kidnapped another man off a Queens street in broad daylight and held him for over a month, demanding $3 million from his family.
Authorities say two New York City men and a New Jersey man kidnapped another man off a Queens street in broad daylight and held him for over a month, demanding $3 million from his family.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 12:27 PM EDT2013-05-22 16:27:26 GMT
Black and Hispanic men are more likely to be stopped in the Bronx and Brooklyn than other boroughs, according to an analysis of police street stop data released Wednesday by the New York Civil Liberties Union.
Black and Hispanic men are more likely to be stopped in the Bronx and Brooklyn than other boroughs, according to an analysis of police street stop data released Wednesday by the New York Civil Liberties Union.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 8:23 AM EDT2013-05-22 12:23:21 GMT
Ex-congressman Anthony Weiner whose career imploded after raunchy tweets said in a YouTube video announcement that he's in the New York City mayoral race.
Ex-congressman Anthony Weiner whose career imploded after raunchy tweets said in a YouTube video announcement that he's in the New York City mayoral race. A poll released Wednesday placed Weiner in second place behind City Council Speaker Christine Quinn in a Democratic primary.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 1:15 PM EDT2013-05-21 17:15:24 GMT
An NYPD detective is accused of hacking into department computers and obtaining information about dozens of people including co-workers. Edwin Vargas was arrested Tuesday outside his home in Bronxville.
An NYPD detective is accused of hacking into department computers and obtaining information about dozens of people including co-workers.
Sunday, May 19 2013 10:57 PM EDT2013-05-20 02:57:40 GMT
The federal judge presiding over civil rights challenges to the stop-and-frisk practices of the New York Police Department has no doubt where she stands with the government.
The federal judge presiding over civil rights challenges to the stop-and-frisk practices of the New York Police Department has no doubt where she stands with the government.
Thursday, May 16 2013 6:47 PM EDT2013-05-16 22:47:54 GMT
The MTA and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the A train subway will run its route all the way to the Rockaways starting May 30, seven months after Superstorm Sandy washed away the track support bed.
The MTA and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the A train subway will run its route all the way to the Rockaways starting May 30, seven months after Superstorm Sandy washed away the track support bed.
Thursday, May 16 2013 6:06 PM EDT2013-05-16 22:06:34 GMT
A smuggling ring that made a fortune selling more than a million cartons of untaxed cigarettes in New York may have funneled some of the illicit proceeds to terrorist groups, authorities said.
A smuggling ring that made a fortune selling more than a million cartons of untaxed cigarettes in New York may have funneled some of the illicit proceeds to terrorist groups, authorities said.
Thursday, May 16 2013 1:17 PM EDT2013-05-16 17:17:42 GMT
Several New York lawmakers are sounding the alarm about security and safety lapses at day care centers across New York City.
Several New York lawmakers are sounding the alarm about security and safety lapses at day care centers across New York City. In a report released Thursday, dozens of daycares cited by the Dept. of Health for serious and critical health code violations since 2010, have not fixed the problems and continue to operate without penalty.
Wednesday, May 15 2013 11:08 PM EDT2013-05-16 03:08:35 GMT
A judge in Manhattan put the brakes on the so-called Taxi of Tomorrow because the Nissan-built minivan does not come in a hybrid version -- a violation of the city code.
A judge in Manhattan put the brakes on the so-called Taxi of Tomorrow because the Nissan-built minivan does not come in a hybrid version -- a violation of the city code.