Hurricane Sandy Disaster Recovery
Sandy Recovery July 2016 Update – The Mission and Work Continue
The NYAC Sandy Recovery ministry is still looking for Done in a Day teams to complete projects in Connecticut and in Brooklyn/Queens. If you are interested please contact Gina Grubbs, Volunteer Coordinator at sandyrecovery@nyac-umc.com, or Tom Vencuss at tvencuss@nyac.com.
Click to read/view special reports about recovery efforts on the 3rd anniversary of the storm
Disaster Recovery Coordinator: Rev. Tom Vencuss
Disaster Recovery Volunteer Coordinator: Gina Grubbs
Contact Email: SandyRecovery@nyac-umc.com
The recovery and our work continue…
The New York Annual Conference, through its pastors, churches, and volunteers, has been active in both the relief and long-term recovery phases of Superstorm Sandy since the very beginning. In addition to engaging volunteers through the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission program (UMVIM), we have worked collaboratively with a number of national and local rebuild/recovery organizations, providing not only volunteers, but project funds, direct assistance, and technical expertise.
Through June, 2016, the Sandy Recovery Ministry provided over $7,200,000 in direct client services; over 85,000 volunteer hours; assisted over 1,550 families in the relief and recovery phases; provided volunteer repair/rebuild at more than 130 homes; provided Disaster Case Management to over 70 clients; assisted more than 40 families with temporary transitional housing; partnered with 23 other disaster recovery organizations; and offered countless hours of spiritual and emotional care to Sandy survivors.
Listen to the voices of homeowners, volunteers and staff of the United Methodists involved in Sandy Recovery.
We also played key roles in establishing a number of the long-term recovery groups throughout New York and Connecticut.
We offer our sincere thanks to all who participated and served in this ministry.
But we are not finished yet!
Thousands of Sandy survivors remain in need. Thanks to additional UMCOR funding we will be able to continue our work, though on a limited and more-focused basis.
We will continue to receive and deploy volunteers through October in Brooklyn and Queens, partnering with Friends of Rockaway; and, in Connecticut, partnering with CT Rises. We will also provide direct assistance through Unmet Needs Committees. Our Sandy recovery program will close out at the end of December, 2016.
If you would like to volunteer this summer or fall through our “Done in a Day” program, or for an extended period of time, please contact Gina Grubbs at sandyrecovery@nyac-umc.com for information or registration.
The recovery, and our work, continue…
Hurricane Sandy Overview
The map below shows the magnitude and location of the devastation from the storm across our region.
Hurricane Sandy was the deadliest and most destructive of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the second-costliest hurricane in United States history. The storm became the largest on record (as measured by diameter, with winds spanning 1,100 miles). Estimates assess damage at nearly $75 billion, a total surpassed only by Hurricane Katrina.
United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) teams and other volunteers assist with the rebuilding process, including installing insulation, wallboard, taping and mudding, rough construction, finish carpentry and other work as determined appropriate for the location, skill set of the team, and local regulations.
What Can We Do?
The United Methodist Church, partnering with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) provides volunteers long after other groups move on. However, we need:
- Volunteers willing to work for a week or a few days and bring funds for construction material — plus our Done in a Day program lends itself to small groups who can only work one day.
- Churches willing to promote the recovery effort within the local church and your community
- Your church to invite persons who have been involved in the recovery effort, either as a volunteer, a client assisted by the program, or one of the staff, to speak at a church service or mission event in order to spark interest in volunteering and keep the continuing recovery top-of-mind.
- Prayers for hope restored to the families affected.
- Donations for project materials or to underwrite the housing costs of groups who want to work but may not be able to afford all costs (such as for college groups) Donate here>>
We sincerely thank all those groups, many coming from across the country, who have given their desperately needed time and hearts to the survivors waiting to move on with their lives in the comfort of their restored homes. You are renewing hope with every hand held and hug given, every swing of a hammer and every visit back in our midst. May God richly bless each of you!
