St. Helen’s Church, Howard Beach, has set up a post-Hurricane Sandy emergency supply shelter, which is serving hundreds of residents without heat or power in Howard Beach and the surrounding neighborhoods. Thousands of families and senior citizens are still without power or heat. Many have nowhere else to stay except for their flooded homes.
St. Helen’s is depending on the generosity of volunteers to meet the needs of its parishioners and neighbors. Residents are in desperate need of the following items: flashlights, batteries, toothpaste and toothbrushes, toiletries, mouthwash, feminine products, baby products (formula, diapers, wipes), cleaning products, heavy duty extension cords, lip balm and disposable soup bowls (Cup-a-soup). Supplies may be brought to St. Helen’s, located at 8309 157th Ave., at the corner of 84th St. and 157th Ave.
St. Camillus in Far Rockaway has a warehouse full of supplies, including many of the ones listed above, but there are very few people who have vehicles with enough gasoline to transport the items. If you have gasoline in your vehicle, and are able to travel to St. Camillus to pick up some of the supplies listed above and drop them off at St. Helen’s in Howard Beach, contact Joseph McKellar, executive director, Queens Congregations United for Action, at 718-440-2992 or joseph@qcua.org.
Father Jeffry Dillon from Christ the King Church in Springfield Gardens has a church van and is scheduled to help transport supplies on Nov. 7, but a few other people with vehicles would be helpful.