Sandy - Staten Island Day Trip, May 2013 - 2

Yesterday, we spent a day working at the house on Staten Island we volunteered at earlier in the month. The travel time involved with a day trip and material runs widdles down the actual work hours quite a bit. Our objective was pretty simple: set up and fill two 2'x4' flower boxes. Planting the boxes was the fun part, prepping the area was the tougher portion of the task. With the survivor's guidance we rummaged over several damaged items, once hoped to be salvageable, realizing only a handful of items could possibly be kept. This was a much needed task to help restore her once magnificent front yard and property, and something that she would most likely not undertake without our coaxing. The new planters are a nice addition and a colorful band-aid to the front yard, but even more of a poignant symbol of the homeowner moving forward after the storm.

Superstorm Sandy : A Live Town Hall

A fairly comprehensive live town hall meeting was held last night in two locations (Monmouth College and NYC). The 2 hour program addressed a broad range of questions regarding superstorm Sandy and the recovery effort.


Click here to watch the entire broadcast:
http://watch.thirteen.org/video/2365013063


One statistic, which came up on the program, which I found to be very revealing is the number of homes severely or completely destroyed by the storm. The estimated number of houses is 365,000... in New Jersey ALONE. I had heard (and blogged) a stat previously of 10,000 homes (for both NJ & NY) ... BIG difference!
I'm sure all the numbers will become clearer as the smoke (and sand) clears in months to come. The one thing that is certain after watching the program last night is Sandy was a 'once in a lifetime' and powerful storm, but nothing compared to the determination and will of the people it has affected.

Sandy - Staten Island Day Trip, May 2013 - 1

We returned for a day trip to Staten Island to check up on a Sandy survivor, who's home we worked on in December. Almost all of the debris from homes on the street that were completely destroyed in the storm has been removed. With the debris removed you begin to realize the appeal of this scenic place. Standing among the reeds and exposed to the ocean wildlife it is hard to believe you are actually standing in one of the five boroughs of New York City. The story on the inside of the home is quite different though. The homeowner has been living in the deconstructed home for the past two months. Other options for living just have not panned out and this is her only alternative. We were there to help out with a few necessities and a plumber was also on site installing a toilet and tub, which she had been without. The heater is functioning but with walls like swiss cheese, it is doing little more than circulating the air. The several pets living in the home contribute to the poor air quality as well. It was a successful day work-wise. We accomplished everything we set out to do including: installing a window air conditioner, a new 'kitchen' sink, patching and replacing some exterior sheathing with plywood, installing a filter in the heater, and installing a lock for the exterior basement door. As soon as we arrived, we noticed a lot of other 'livable' items that needed to be done. Besides having a small group, and little time, any work being done to the home is in question due to the potential buyout in her area. Her best course of action is to leave, but right now there are no real options for her. If a buyout happens it will not be realized soon, so it is something that should not be a deciding factor for moving. The pets, while being great companions are a roadblock for relocation. 'Where' and 'When' are very big question marks in her life right now.

Sandy - New Jersey, April 2013 - 3

So, as we have had a few days to revive from our last trip to NJ, I am reflecting upon the work we had accomplished last week. So far with all of our trips, the weather has been favorable. We have been fortunate, considering working in the winter and spring months to not have been snowed, rained or frozen -out of working, not even for 1 day. Actually, the weather could be described as very nice for all four trips so far.

Last week we concentrated on one home that had flooding on the first floor. The minor repairs to the sub floor were determined to be part of the new floor installation. This left us to focus strictly on installing new wall insulation and drywall in the kitchen, dining room and living room (about 500 SF of living space). With some of the drywall already installed, this project turned out to be just about the right size for 3 days for 6 workers with our experience level. Since almost everyone had worked together before, we hit the ground running in terms of delegating tasks. Most of the the work was similar but it seemed everyone had a good idea of where to go and what to do and what job suited them the best.

Our homeowner is an animal lover, which became obvious from the population of common yard animals frequenting her back yard. She provides a steady supply of food (mostly peanuts) for the multitude of squirrels (who have names) and whatever other types of critters might show up. I even witnessed one squirrel climb up her leg and eat a peanut right out of her hand!

After our three 8 hours days of work were completed, it is satisfying to reflect on what we have accomplished. An importatnt part of volunteering is getting the homeowner excited about fixing what's been broken and moving on. Some need it more than others, but all of them, so far, are noticebly in better spirits by the end of the third day that our group is on site. The discussions are more about 'what will happen' rather than 'what has happened', a big step in making things better.