I used to live in Long Beach and knew that I had the find an opportunity to give back to the people there who suffered so much. I finally made it to Long Beach over the weekend for Operation Sandy Claus. This effort was put together by Sandy Help LB and a local resident who provided her home as a donation drop-off location. Other Long Island residents donated stockings full of gifts to Operation Sandy Claus and we got to deliver them door-to-door in the West End of Long Beach on Saturday where I used to live. My dad, my friend Lindsay and I drove up-and-down the blocks looking for families in need. We knocked on doors of homes that looked occupied. Sadly, most homes were not. We peeked in a few windows and most homes were completely gutted with just studs and floorboards remaining. During the hurricane, 5-7 feet of polluted ocean water raged through the streets of Long Beach. It's completely unfathomable and seeing the damage first-hand put things in perspective. These people are still suffering and still need help.
If you're looking for something to do during your time off, go to the Sandy Help LB Page on Facebook. Bryan Murphy, a Long Island Realtor, has been organizing support for Long Beach residents on this page since Sandy struck the coast. He's doing a really great job and still needs lots of help. The help will be needed for months to come. It's easy to forget about these families after the media stops sharing their stories. But, their stories are not over. The damage is still there. Their hearts are still broken. They will rebuild and Long Beach will come back stronger than ever. I plan on going back to Long Beach multiple time in 2013 to do what I can to help rebuild. I hope you will, too. Nothing is healthier for the soul than helping others.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
-Kristen
PS: Check out this video about Sandy Help LB and Operation Sandy Claus.
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