Your Generosity Filled My Heart, Three Shopping Carts & Six Enormous Bags Too!

11/8, 11:30pm

Thanks to the generosity of five of you, $440 was donated to help assist residents of Far Rockway, Queens after Hurricane Sandy devastated their community.

I filled three shopping carts to overflowing, and six enormous bags took up an entire row on the subway. In those bags were hats, gloves, scarves, neck warmers, earmuffs, sweaters, jackets, socks, boot liners, vests, workgloves, blankets, lip balm, toothpaste and deodorant, all items people said they needed.

The clothes are at the laundromat around the corner and tomorrow morning, after a quick stop for bags of pet food, it's back out to Far Rockaway to make deliveries.  A man I met on Monday, who also lives in Brooklyn, will be driving food supplies out and offered me a ride, so we'll happily knock on doors together.  

There is some money still remaining, and so this will be added to any additional funds that come in and used as needs are expressed this weekend.  People who had to or who chose to leave their houses are expected to return this weekend, in the hopes that electricity is restored and in order to begin, resume or continue the process of cleaning up.  

The process of restoring this community will take a long time, but residents seem confident, and so they keep putting one soggy foot in front of the other...

Thank you so much T, B, G, C and C for your generous outpouring of caring and support.  

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11/8, 7am

I am so moved by the generous responses I have received to my call for donations.  A man I met last week during the Walk/Run for Prospect Park just donated $250.  Thank you C!  

To all of you who have made donations to my efforts, to the Red Cross, to the United Way, and to other organizations offering supplies and respite to victims of Hurricane Sandy, so many people in Far Rockaway will be warm and dry because of your caring.  And they will know that they have not been forgotten, that they are cared about.   

I'm humbled.  I'm grateful.  I'm going without coffee.  And I'm going shopping!   Thank you, thank you, thank you.

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11/7 

Thanks to three very generous people, I now have $85 to purchase more winter clothing for the Rockaway residents ravaged first by Hurricane Sandy and now by a winter storm.  

The owner of the thrift store I shopped at told me today that if I spend $250, he'll donate $250 worth of clothing!  That's so awesome.  With the $50 I spent earlier and the $85 donated, all I need is $115 more. That's just $5 each from 23 people or $10 each from 11 people or $20 each from 6 people.  I'll give up coffee for the rest of the month and donate an additional $25 if you help me reach my goal of $250 by the end of the weekend...  Want to help?

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11/6

With the heavy winds, rain and snow invading Far Rockaway today and tomorrow, the already battered residents are desperate for warm clothes (jackets, hats, gloves, scarves, socks, sweaters), blankets and work gloves.  Many of them are still without electricity and the evening temperatures are at freezing.  This storm will definitely set back their cleanup efforts and leave them even more chilled. 

I have purchased sweaters, scarves, gloves, hats and long underwear, as well as a few wool blankets, from a local thrift store that was kind enough to give me a huge discount. I've also purchased cat food for a family of cats that neighbors say have been abandoned.  I'll be delivering these items door to door to residents this week and weekend.

If you'd like to support my efforts and help provide the families in Far Rockaway with winter gear, please send a check and I will be thrilled to go back to the store again to buy more supplies.  Please let me know the amount you'd like to donate so I know how much I can buy and I'll forward the mailing address to you.

(I have tried to set up a PayPal account to make it easier for you to donate, but I don't have all of the required identification with me in New York City that they require in order for me to do so, ie. my physical social security card.  Sorry...)

When you donate, I'm happy to provide you with a letter thanking you for your donation that you can use for tax purposes.

To donate money for supplies or to help me with deliveries, please email me directly at alaskachristina@gmail.com or call my cell 907-299-4437.  

If you're local and have a car and would like to help me deliver these supplies, that would be great too!  

Thanks for reaching out to these hurricane-ravaged individuals and families.  If you are unable to help, please won't you keep them in your thoughts...