Video by Jah White
On October 29th, 2012, Superstorm Sandy hit New York and destroyed and damaged many schools, homes and businesses on the Rockaway Peninsula. Residents were stranded without power, heat, or anywhere else to go. RYTF became one of the first responders to the storm, climbing into high-rise buildings and going where the Red Cross & FEMA weren’t reaching. We organized over 3,000 donations of food and supplies to 10,000 residents. Now in the aftermath of the storm, we are still at it and working to rebuild the community!
This year we’re partnering with New York Cares to build a community garden, a reminder of our communities beauty and a symbol of our growth. The Rockaway Youth Task Force has acquired 4,400 square feet of land, and on October 26 we will be breaking ground.
We’re proud of how far we’ve come, there’s still a long way to go. Rockaway was a devastated community before the storm; the storm only exacerbated our problems. The garden will serve as a reminder that Rockaway is still here, still in need, and still willing to survive.
– Milan R. Taylor RYTF President
Date: October 26, 2013, 9:00am- 5:00pm
Location: Beach 45th-46th st. off of Beach Channel Drive, Arverne, New York 11692
Day of Schedule:
9:00am: Volunteer Registration/Breakfast
10:00am: Building Community Garden
3:00pm: Lunch
3:30pm: Sandy One Year Later Ceremony with guest speakers NY State Senator James Sanders Jr and NYC Councilmember Donovan Richards
5:00pm: Continue Building Garden until dark
MEDIA AND PHOTO COVERAGE IS INVITED
VOLUNTEERS WELCOMED
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