An ‘Amazing,’ Overwhelming Local Response For Staten Island

By Shannon Hicks

On Thursday, November 1, Sandy Hook resident Debra Sullivan posted a note on her Facebook page that asked her friends to consider donations for those in Staten Island who were dealing with the aftereffects of Superstorm Sandy. Mrs Sullivan grew up in Staten Island, and still has a lot of family there.

“My sister, grandparents, cousins… a lot of my family still lives there,” she said Monday afternoon.

Last Sunday, thanks to the generosity of Bob’s Furniture, a furniture truck took a full load of items, from clothing to cleaning supplies, to Staten Island.

“It’s been unbelievable, the number of items that have been dropped off at our home in just a few days,” said Mrs Sullivan. “The truck driver donated his time to drive everything out there yesterday too.”

On Monday morning, after running a few errands, Mrs Sullivan returned home to find a new pile of donated items in her driveway.

“This is just amazing,” she said Monday afternoon, standing in her driveway where the growing pile was being sorted. “Newtown is my second home, and my friends in Newtown are my second family. The way they’ve come through, I am just overwhelmed.”

Friends had heard about the collection through her Facebook post, as well as through CrossFit 203, the health and fitness club in Danbury where Debra exercises. The club added a note about the collection to its blog on Saturday, November 3, and “they have probably ten times what we have here,” said Mrs Sullivan. CrossFit will continue its collection, according to the blog, until November 11, when it will take care of transporting all of the items collected at CrossFit locations in Canton, Southbury, and Wolcott to Staten Island.

Meanwhile, Mrs Sullivan has decided to continue her collection for the tight-knit community where she grew up. A second truck had been arranged to leave Sandy Hook on Thursday, November 8; a third delivery is now being arranged.

Donations of nonperishable food, blankets and winter coats, personal hygiene productions including deodorant and toothbrushes, cleaning supplies including mops, brooms and shovels, garbage bags and work gloves, school supplies, and even items for children such as coloring books and crayons, small games and toys are all being accepted.

The Sullivans live at 9 Clearview Drive, and donations are welcome sunrise to sunset. They expect to be actively collecting items for at least the next two weeks.

For additional information contact Mrs Sullivan at debra@newtownmedispa.com.