Thanksgiving 2012 in the Rockaways - pols, volunteers, and celebrities feeding the people

Image source: NYDN

The beginning of the 2012 holiday season in the Rockaways was vastly different, thanks to Hurricane Sandy. Thanksgiving dinner for many consisted of donated meals, distributed by Governor Cuomo, the National Guard, and volunteers. According to NY1, thousands of meals were given to displaced residents throughout NYC, including the Rockaways:

Almost 4,000 donated meals went to residents and first responders in Queens, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Long Island and the Hudson Valley. Many of the items were donated by big-box stores, including Costco, ShopRite and Walmart. Each distributed box included a turkey, two cans of vegetables, one can of cranberry sauce, one can of gravy, one box of stuffing and a loaf of bread.

Celebrity Steve Buscemi was also on hand in Breezy Point to distribute Thanksgiving meals, acknowledging the importance beind feeding first responders. Local restaurants and kitchens also contributed meals, which were distributed by City Harvest, a “food rescue organization” that donates hundreds of thousands of food each month; since Hurricane Sandy hit, they have been distributing 225,000 pounds of food daily.

According to the NYDN, at Challenge Preparatory Charter School in Far Rockaway, a Thanksgiving feast consisting of turkey, yams, biscuits, and cranberries was fed to 500 people. “Mike D” Diamond of the Beastie Boys was there to help. At At St. Francis de Sales Church in Belle Harbor, Thanksgiving dinners were served in between masses. 150 volunteers from NY Cares were on help to help with preparations.

In Manhattan, 5,000 bleacher seats at the Macy’s Thanskgiving Day Parade were reserved by Macy’s and the city for displaced victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Cuomo, Nat’l Guard Give Thanksgiving Meals To Areas Recovering From Sandy [NY1]
Celebrities, good Samaritans help residents in Rockaways celebrate bittersweet Thanksgiving in wake of Sandy [NYDN]