Hurricane Sandy also smashed into the Irish Community in Woodlawn

Irish neighborhood struggles to restore order after historic superstorm

R.J. Puma, owner of Anna Artuso’s Pastry Shop and chairman of the McLean Avenue Merchants Association (M.A.M.A.), says, “We were actually very lucky. The rain seemed to bypass McLean Ave. altogether, which was actually a very lucky thing, but we do have the block where Merk Chemist and Palmer Hardware – that whole block and even by the school – are out of power.”
Saint Barnabas Elementary School in Yonkers, like most academic institutions throughout the area, closed for the week.

James Terry, an Irish-American residential director at Fordham University, adds that his school’s “classes were canceled because of the fact that teachers and commuters couldn’t get to campus.”

Every aspect of life has been affected. And yet, while many people throughout the area struggle to adapt, residents in Woodlawn remain keenly aware of their situation.

Raniolo confides that one customer “had been living in Rockaway her whole life, lost her home. And she’s fortunate to have a son who lives here, and she’s staying with him at the present time. And these are the stories we’re hearing. We’re blessed here. Even if we lost all of our lights, we’re managing because we’re all safe.”

The Aisling Center stood up to the plate days after the hurricane swept through the Yonkers neighborhood to help the community. They immediately asked locals for clothing and supply donations to help the Irish that were badly affected by the hurricane, many of whom lost their homes and everything in them.

As gas began to run out in the neighborhood Liffey Van Lines came on board to help distribute the donations to those in need truly displaying a sense of community.

The center is helping with the clean up in Rockaway Beach this coming week. If you are available on Tuesday, please call them at 914-237-5121 on Monday or e-mail info@aislingcenter.org. If you are available on WEDNESDAY, contact them on Tuesday. If you are available on THURSDAY (subject to weather conditions), contact them Wednesday and so on.

Read more news on Hurricane Sandy here

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Nster.com