Baby Buggy Hurricane Sandy Family Assistance Fund

While Superstorm Sandy is a distant autumn memory for many of us in the New York area, the devastation brought by this storm has had long-term consequences for many of the families that Baby Buggy serves.  With your help, Baby Buggy has continued to support these families as they work hard to rebuild their lives over a year after Sandy hit.  Many of the families we serve in the Rockaways are still struggling to find steady employment and housing.  The rebuilding process has been slow and disheartening, but signs of spring are finally arriving for many families!  Baby Buggy has started distributing bright spring clothing to families in need, including beautiful pink tutus just in time for Easter.  We have also provided maternity clothing to pregnant moms as they prepare for their newest arrivals.  Since so many apartments flooded in the Rockaways, clothing has been an ongoing challenge--many families lost every article of clothing they owned during the storm.  As some families finally secure new rental housing, we have also been able to provide much needed household items and furniture for the children as they settle into their new homes.

The Davis family is especially looking forward to starting anew this spring.  They have two children who are alums of our Head Start partner in the Rockaways, two who are currently enrolled, and an infant.  Superstorm Sandy was truly a nightmare for this family.  Before the storm hit, both mom and dad were working regularly in non-salaried positions in Far Rockaway.  Their two older children were enrolled in the local elementary school and their two younger children were part of the Head Start program.  One of the younger boys has special needs and was receiving enhanced care through the Head Start program.  When the storm hit, their apartment flooded and in one fell swoop, they lost their apartment, everything they owned, and soon after, they both lost their jobs since their places of employment were also completely destroyed by the flooding.  By working with Head Start staff, they were able to find a shelter in Brooklyn that was supposed to be a temporary housing situation.  This family has been commuting for over an hour each way back to Far Rockaway every day with all five children in tow so the children can continue attending their regular schools and the Head Start program.  They thought this was especially important for their son with special needs, as maintaining the services he is getting is so important to them.   Because they have had ongoing challenges finding employment, they have not been successful in finding new rental housing either.  The staff at the Head Start program have been visiting rental properties with the family on a regular basis and they finally have some strong leads for apartments that have been fully repaired that are close to the schools and can fit all seven of them.  During their very long time in the shelter, Baby Buggy has been able to provide new sheets and pillows, an air purifier, clothing, food, toiletries, and diapers and wipes for their littlest child. 

Superstorm Sandy is far from a distant memory for the Davis family and we haven't forgotten either.  When they finally secure their new apartment this spring, Baby Buggy will be there to help them with the household items they need to get back to some semblance of the busy but more secure life they had before the storm completely uprooted them.  We know that spring is just around the corner for this family and we will continue to work with families like the Davis' as they rebuild their lives and families.

Links:

• Check out the Baby Buggy website for more about our work!