HURRICANE SANDY: Disaster Response and Recovery Projects

‘Superstorm’ Hurricane Sandy began its path of devastation the week of October 29, 2012–-and severely affected portions of the Caribbean, then continued on to bring devastation to the Northeastern United States. Impacting 24 states in the Eastern third of the country, President Obama signed the state of emergency declaration in the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Rhode Island, West Virginia and New Jersey. In diameter, it was the largest Atlantic hurricane on record–-and the most costly hurricane to impact the United States since Hurricane Katrina.

 

The toll—in lives disrupted or lost, as well as communities washed out—was staggering. Fire reduced more than 100 houses to ash in Breezy Point, Queens. Explosions and downed power lines left the lower part of Manhattan and 90 percent of Long Island in the dark. The New York City subway system—a lifeline for millions—was paralyzed by flooded tunnels, with service disrupted for weeks. The extent of the damage in New Jersey, where the storm brought hurricane-force winds of 80 mph, was catastrophic: homes knocked off their foundations, boardwalks wrecked and amusement pier rides cast into the sea.

 

Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas took direct hits from the storm, the majority of deaths and most extensive damage was in impoverished Haiti, bringing new stresses to the still-recovering island nation.

 

Operation USA has focused our recovery efforts on the impacted communities in New York and New Jersey.

 

MATERIAL AID SUPPORT:
Rotary Club
Eaton Town, New Jersey

 

A large shipment of donated cleaning and mold abatement supplies has been sent to aid this badly impacted community.

 

FINANCIAL SUPPORT:
The Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center, Inc
Rockaway, Queens

 

A grant has been made to support this storm-impacted community health clinic in New York that is still struggling to recover and meet the needs of the 40,000 patients they anticipate in 2013. Operation USA’s grant will support mold abatement, as well as contribute to the restoration of supplies and ongoing clinic operations.