If we can take one good piece of news from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, it’s that people come together to help each other in times of crisis. All around the borough, elected officials, community leaders and area businesses are collecting supplies to help those battered by the storm.
• Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Little Neck) is collecting clothing, shoes, diapers, toiletries, and children’s toys, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at his office, on the second floor of 56-21 Marathon Parkway in Little Neck. It can be reached at (718) 428-7900.
• City Councilman James Sanders Jr. (D-Laurelton), who represents the Rockaways, which was devastated by the storm, is collecting supplies at his office at 234-26 A Merrick Blvd. in Laurelton, and he is also looking for volunteers to help out with the relief effort and donate their time. The office can be reached at (718) 527-4356.
• Legal Services NYC will be helping residents with storm-related challenges like getting emergency-related services, including FEMA relief, access to food-related services, Medicaid, and other urgently needed help. In Queens, contact Jennifer Ching at (917) 721-9871.
• Anyone wishing to donate water, food, blankets, batteries and cell phone chargers may drop these items off at the office of City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside), located at 47-01 Queens Blvd., Suite 205. They have a sufficient supply of clothing. The office will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It can be reached at (718) 383-9566.
• City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria) will be delivering supplies to the hardest hit areas of Queens and Staten Island soon. Drop off donations at Vallone’s office at 22-45 31 St. in Astoria. It can be reached at (718) 274-4500.
• Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills) and his staff will be collecting donations of clothing, blankets, towels, nonperishable food, paper products, baby items and cleaning supplies beginning Monday at Hevesi’s district office at 70-50 Austin Street, Suite 110. All items will be delivered to relief agencies working in southern Queens.
• Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) is also accepting supplies — water, food, clothes: anything non-perishable. They can be dropped off at his office at 83-91 Woodhaven Blvd. For more information, call (718) 805-0950.
• Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) is also accepting donations, which will be brought directly to Sandy- affected areas. His office is located at 93-06 101 Ave. in Ozone Park and can be reached at (718) 738-1083.
• The district office of City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst) is accepting donations from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Friday, Nov. 9. They are asking for nonperishable food, cleaning supplies, baby items and first aid supplies such as sealed containers of Neosporin, Ace bandages, Advil and Tylenol. The office is located at 32-33A Junction Blvd. in East Elmhurst. For more information, call (718) 651-1917.
• The National Flood Insurance Program opened Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers today at Fort Tilden Park at 11-99 Rockaway Point Blvd. and Duane Reade at Beach 116thSt. and Beach Channel Drive in Rockaway. They will be open until 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Monday through Sunday.
• TheFEMACall Center at 1 (800) 621-FEMA (3362)isoperating seven days a weekfrom7 a.m. to 10 p.m.until further notice.The Call Center can provide answers to general questions about the National Flood Insurance Program and direct callers to other NFIP areas according to their needs.
• The Queens Chronicle is also accepting donations [see separate story].
Chronicle helps Sandy victims
The Queens Chronicle is accepting donations of clothing, shoes, cases of bottled water and nonperishable food at its office in Rego Park, where the power is on and no trees or wires are blocking the streets.
Donated items will be sent to areas in South Queens devastated by Hurricane Sandy, including Howard Beach, Broad Channel and the Rockaways. They will either be given to the offices of Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) and Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven), who are both conducting relief drives, or brought directly to the affected areas.
The Chronicle office is located at 62-33 Woodhaven Blvd. in Rego Park, on the east side of the road just south of 62nd Road, between Barosa restaurant and Barosa Brick Oven Pizza, about five blocks south of exit 19 on the Long Island Expressway. The office is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, sometimes later than that, and can be reached at (718) 205-8000.
After business hours, items can be dropped off at Barosa Brick Oven Pizza, which is at 62-37 Woodhaven Blvd.
— Peter C. Mastrosimone
Officials host aid drives
The offices of Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills) and Assemblywoman Margaret Markey (D-Maspeth) are functioning as collection points for donations of food and disaster relief items bound for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
Koslowitz is asking that people bring nonperishable food items, bottled water, batteries, sightly used clothing, blankets and winter coats.
They can be dropped between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. from Monday through Friday at 118-35 Queens Blvd, 17th Floor, in Forest Hills.
Two businesses in Koslowitz’s district, Urban Creation and Blue Elephant, have pledged 100 pairs of shoes as well as other supplies to the cause.
Markey, whose district office is at 55-19 69th St. in Maspeth, is coordinating her efforts with Maspeth Federal Savings and local emergency service organizations.
Her office is seeking blankets, coats, baby clothing and supplies, batteries, flashlights, cleaning supplies, gloves, bottled water and nonperishable food items.
All clothing, coats and blankets must be clean and in good condition.
Diocese seeks Sandy aid
Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has begun a charity drive aimed at collecting food, clothing and other necessities for survivors of Hurricane Sandy.
The drive, which they announced on Oct. 31 on their website, www.ccbq.org, asks willing donors to drop off certain items at one of several locations across Queens and Brooklyn. The items they are collecting include warm clothing, nonperishable food, baby supplies, flashlights and cleaning products. A full list of the most-needed items can be found on their website.
Lucy Garrido-Mota, associate director of communications, explained the charity drive’s priorities. “We have a lot of clothing right now. We don’t want to turn away any of the other supplies, but what we really need is powdered cleaning supplies, mops, masks, boots, gloves.”
The three donation drop-off locations in Queens are St. Mary Star of the Sea in Far Rockaway, St. Francis DeSales in Belle Harbor and St. Camillus in Rockaway Park. Hours at the drop-off locations are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Garrido-Mota advises donors headed to St. Francis DeSales to arrive during daylight hours, as the church has no power.
johannaL posted at 4:30 pm on Thu, Nov 8, 2012.
Our friend Tony Laino was taken from us during Hurricane Sandy when a tree fell on his house. Because of this tragedy, the Laino Family has not only lost a son and a brother, but also their family home. We are asking for donations to help the family through this tough time. http://www.gofundme.com/tonylaino