Rockaway Recovery

This past Saturday, more than 400 people came out to volunteer with NYCC and completed more than 1,500 needs-assessment forms.

Saturday was a great first step towards ensuring that folks in the Rockaways have the resources they need and a voice in the process of rebuilding their community.NYCC is working to make sure that the short-term needs folks indicated on their assessment surveys are met ASAP. In order to do that, they need:

1.)   Donations of Food, Water, Blankets and Cleaning Supplies brought to the NYCC office 2-4 Nevins Street 2nd Floor Brooklyn NY. (Please no clothes.)

2.)    Volunteer Drivers who are available meet at our Brooklyn office before noon on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and from 10:30AM to 2PM on Saturday to deliver short-term relief packets to the homes of the people we’ve door-knocked.  If you can drive supplies out to the Rockaways this week, please RSVP to nyccvolunteer@gmail.com.

3.)   In office help with data entering the surveys and packaging goods for the short term relief packets (after 3PM).  If you can help with data entry, please RSVP to nyccvolunteer@gmail.com.

NYCC is also expanding its operation beyond the Rockaways to the community of Long Beach on Long Island, where there is still a huge gap in relief efforts.

NYCC will be collecting donations of food, water, cleaning supplies, baby products and blankets in their Brooklyn Office from 9am to 7pm as well as their Hempstead Office (91 N. Franklin Room 209 Hempstead, NY 11550), from 11am to 2pm on Wednesday and Thursday. NYCC will also be doing a volunteer canvass on Saturday November 17th.
 
If you are interested in coming out to Long Beach you can meet at 10am at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center (615 Riverside Blvd. Long Beach, NY) which is just a short walk from the LIRR Long Beach Station.  NYCC will be canvassing until about 2pm. If you can join in Long Beach on Saturday please RSVP to nyccvolunteer@gmail.com.
 
If you have any questions, give NYCC a call at (347) 410-6919 ext. 285.

This request just in for all volunteers:

If you want to volunteer with NYCC to support those who are in need in Far Rockaway, please email nyccvolunteer@gmail.com with the following information:

• Name
• Available days and times (there are no night shifts)
• Access to a car, if any

We learned power will be down for another full week in Far Rockaway. 

Greatest need right now is for volunteers, flashlights & batteries.

Hot food trays and transport are also needed daily.

To drop off donations, please visit New York Communities For Change (NYCC) at 2-4 Nevins St. (Flatbush & Livingston), 2nd Fl, Brooklyn, from 9AM-7PM. 

With questions on how to volunteer or donate food, call NYCC at (347) 410-6919 or email nyccvolunteer@gmail.com.

To the restaurants and friends who continue to supply trays of food for The Church of the Nazarene, you are amazing.

♥

Hi all:

We have some updated information on the best places to mail, drive, and donate. Biggest need remains food, flashlights, batteries, coats & blankets.

By mail: If you are mailing supplies, please ship now ONLY to The New York Communities For Change (NYCC) office at 2-4 Nevins Street (between Flatbush & Livingston), 2nd Fl, Brooklyn NY 11217. They are still collecting donations and transporting them to Far Rockaway, open from 9AM-7PM. If you’ve already mailed/shipped to the address in Rosedale, that is no problem and very helpful — they are just filling up at that location!

By car: The need in Far Rockaway is changing by the hour. Please either bring donations to the Nevins St. address above, or check in with NYCC at (347) 410-6919 before driving down to determine current needs and drop-off locations.

Online: You can still make a cash donation from anywhere to the NYCC fundraising page, which will go straight to Far Rockaway and other hard-hit areas. Here is that link: http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=13028&url=nycommuni

To Volunteer: With questions on how to volunteer, call NYCC at (347) 410-6919 or email nyccvolunteer@gmail.com (email is best).

We’ve been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support. Please keep it coming!

With sincere gratitude,

S&C

The local councilman’s office tells us that with temperatures falling and power still not restored, the greatest need for donations now is blankets and coats, as well as flashlights and batteries. You can help, either in person or through the mail.

Deliver in Person:

The New York Communities For Change (NYCC) office at 2-4 Nevins Street (between Flatbush & Livingston), 2^nd Fl, Brooklyn NY 11217, is collecting donations and transporting them to Far Rockaway twice a day. Stop by between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Have a car? NYCC also needs help to transport donations. Contact Olivia Leirer with NYCC at oleirer@nycommunities.org for more information.

Or, fill a car with donations from friends and deliver these items yourself to:

City Council Member James Sanders’ Office

15-26 Central Avenue #2

Far Rockaway, NY 11691

You can ship donations

to NYCC at the Nevins Street address above, or to:

New York City Council Member James Sanders, Jr.

Attn: Donovan Richards

234-26 Merrick Blvd.

Rosedale, NY 11422

You can also make a cash donation:

New York Communities For Change (NYCC) has started a fundraising page. Go here to donate cash, which will serve Far Rockaway and other hard-hit areas.

http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=13028&url=nycommuni

We spent the afternoon in Far Rockaway.

Several communities in the region were hit hard by Hurricane Sandy. This one desperately needs our help.

Many residents of Far Rockaway have limited resources in the best of times. Since the storm hit, they have been without power, without heat, and sometimes, without food. People there told us homes are being looted for food and supplies.  Local charities are working as hard as they can. But ongoing power outages have prevented grocery stores and other businesses from reopening and it will be at least another week before power is restored to the area.

We arrived with hot meals for more than 200 people, donated by local restaurants in our area. These were gone within an hour, leaving dozens waiting in the cold. Most people arrived with small children. They told us that this was their first hot meal in nearly a week.

We originally learned about the need in Far Rockaway from New York Communities for Change, who connected us to a local councilman’s office. Here’s what both of them said are the most effective ways to support this community. (There are ways you can help, no matter where you live.)

Donate Cash

New York Communities For Change (NYCC) has started a fundraising page. Go here to donate cash, which will serve Far Rockaway and other hard-hit areas.

http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=13028&url=nycommuni

Donate Food and Supplies

The people of Far Rockaway urgently need:

·      Ready-to-eat and canned foods like bread, peanut butter, crackers, tuna, cereal and snacks

·      Diapers

·      Baby wipes

·      Baby formula

·      Flashlights and batteries

·      Water

*The biggest need right now next to food is diapers and formula

The NYCC office at 2-4 Nevins Street (between Flatbush & Livingston), 2^nd Fl, Brooklyn NY 11217, is collecting donations and transporting them to Far Rockaway twice a day. Stop by between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Have a car? NYCC also needs help to transport donations. Contact Olivia Leirer with NYCC at oleirer@nycommunities.org for more information.

Or, fill a car with donations from friends and deliver these items yourself to:

City Council Member James Sanders’ Office

15-26 Central Avenue #2

Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Deliver Hot Meals

Hot food is at a premium right now for the people of Far Rockaway. We reached out to local Brooklyn restaurants, and to our amazement, every single one graciously donated an abundance of food:

·     Bogota Latin Bistro

·      El Viejo Yayo

·      La Villa Pizzeria

·      Peppino’s Brick Oven Pizza & Restaurant

·      Pizza Cotta Bene

·      Sheep Station

We are grateful to all of them for their generosity!

Please reach out to restaurants near you to see if they can do the same. Home-cooked meals or sandwiches are also appreciated. The more you can bring, the better.

All hot or prepared meals can be taken to:

Church of the Nazarene

1414 Central Avenue

Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Any questions about donating or delivering hot meals, please call Donovan Richards with City Council Member James Sanders’ Office at (347) 426-7961 or Rev. Samuel M. Reid at (718) 327-5242.

Volunteer

The Church of the Nazarene needs people as well as supplies. Come by to volunteer in the neighborhood, serve food, sort donations, and lend a hand to the people of Far Rockaway.

Mail Supplies

Can’t get to Brooklyn or Far Rockaway? Donate by ordering online! Deliveries of diapers, formula, wipes and personal hygiene products can be shipped to:

New York City Council Member James Sanders, Jr.

Attn: Donovan Richards

234-26 Merrick Blvd.

Rosedale, NY 11422

If you have any questions, please contact Courtney or Stephanie at rockawayrecovery@gmail.com.