Sandy-Ravaged Rockaway Peninsula in New York Receives Recovery Grant

A community organization in Sandy-ravaged Rockaway, Queens, has received a grant of more than $721,000 from the American Red Cross.

The Friends of Rockaway will use the money to hire local plumbers, electricians and carpenters to rebuild 90 homes over the next year.

The $721,550 grant will allow low- and moderate-income homeowners to restore their homes.

The Friends of Rockaway says it has raised about $2.5 million since Sandy struck. The money has gone to cleaning out 1,000 homes, gutting about 400 houses, and removing mold from 130 homes. It also will help rebuild 150 homes in the next two years.

The Rockaway peninsula was hard hit in the October storm. Homes, businesses and the boardwalk were severely flooded and damaged.