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Community Corner

Rotary District of Suffolk County's Innovative Program Aids Sandy Affected Families

The Rotary International District 7260 of Suffolk County, with their community-minded focus and extreme generosity, was able to significantly improve the lives of twenty Sandy affected families in Long Island, NY. By working with Adopt A House, a non-profit organization that provides aid and resources to affected residents, The Rotary District financed an ambitious, impactful and unique appliance program. They provided a generous donation of $24,000, raised through their admirable efforts and dedication in the wake of SuperStorm Sandy. Monies from Rotary International of Suffolk County were received by the District as donations towards Super Storm Sandy Disaster Relief, with the money allocated to to be used only in Suffolk County. The District Governor at that time was Connie Gevinski who created a committee, Disaster Preparedness Committee, to oversee the spending of the balance of the funds. Jackie Milton and Frank Seibert also served on the the committee along with other members from various Rotary Disricts. These donations were accumulated through the fundraising efforts of Rotary Districts across the country. Plessers Appliance of Babylon made it possible by providing an altruistic discount for this bulk order and were instrumental in the execution of this Appliance Program. Through November and December of 2013, this innovative program provided twenty families a complete kitchen suite, consisting of a refrigerator, dishwasher, stove and microwave. The recipient families were either displaced or living in partially finished homes, and previously living without functional kitchens or were rebuilding other parts of their home with no resources for kitchen appliances. The recipients of these kitchen sets were touched and deeply grateful for the aid from The Rotary District of Suffolk County. “This is the greatest news we have had in a very long time.” Kathy Stanton, a recipient of the program, expressed. “We truly appreciate this so much and this appliance program will greatly help us a lot. We are so grateful to The Rotary Club and Adopt A House.” Adopt A House is extraordinarily appreciative for the charitable and considerable donation that enhanced the lives of these deserving families. Through the hard work of the Rotary Organization, who spent countless hours coordinating and choosing the recipients, these families were able to take a giant step towards the progress of repairing their homes and replacing much-needed items. Jennifer Mackie-Aulino, Executive Director of Adopt A House, worked tirelessly hand in hand with The Rotary District to establish this program and distribute these appliances. Immense efforts like these have helped residents who are still struggling over a year after SuperStorm Sandy that affected so many with its disastrous repercussions.

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