UPDATE FROM LONG ISLAND

Hello All,

Quick update from Long Island, NY.  Below is a letter that was sent to me this week.  Unreal. 

"Hi, my name is Avery.  I'm 9 years old.  Thank you so much for helping out my grandparences.  I appresheate you helping out other people.  I know people need shelter, clothes, and food.  Thats why I rased $500.  

Love, 

Avery"

No Avery, thank you.  Incredible.

Mark/Chops

THIS IS WHY I'M DOING WHAT I DO.  A LETTER FROM 9YR OLD AVERY AFTER HEARING WE WORKED AT HER "GRANDPARENCES" HOME.

DINNER TABLE AFTER A DAY IN THE FIELD. 

ZACK AND ME AT STATE RADIO'S WEBSTER HALL, NEW YORK CITY SHOW!

THESE GUYS ARE THE DIFFERENCE MAKERS!  THANK YOU.

LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES.  YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO GET.  27 CATS IN THIS HOME.

CANADA'S PRIDE AND JOY, JESS, AND OUR BUTT KICKING CARGO VAN!

SEVERAL FEET OF OCEAN SAND CAME UP THROUGH THE FOUNDATION.  YOU CAN SEE THE WATER LINE ON THE WALLS.  ONE OF THE WORST HOMES I HAVE SEEN TO DATE

STEVEN AND MITCH WORKING HARD ON OUR MUCK OUT JOB LAST WEEK!

THE A TEAM!  TEAMING UP WITH THE WASHINGTON STATE CONSERVATION CORP, MITCH FROM WISCONSIN (WHO ALSO SERVES OUR COUNTRY IN THE ARMY.  THANK YOU)

WHO YA GONNA CALL?  GHOST BUSTERS!.. I MEAN NECHAMA!

LOITERING IN FRONT OF THE MET IN NYC WITH SOME OF THE NECHAMA ALL STARS!

LONG STORY... MY FIELD TEAM HAD TIME TO TAKE PICTURES, BUT NO TIME TO HELP.   SOME DAYS YOU ARE THE DOG.  SOME DAYS THE HYDRANT.

ANOTHER STELLAR GUTTING JOB BY NECHAMA!

JESS, ZACK, AND MEGAN WITH MS CHERRY.   THE PRIOR PICTURE WAS HER BASEMENT.  ALL SMILES.  GREAT TO SEE

YEAH, OKEEFE'S WEDDING WAS FUN.

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days

MY QUEEN OF QUEENS

Evening,

This morning, I arrived at her home to find her freezing and starving.  I mean that very literally.  She has been living alone in her home in East Rockaway, Queens since the storm.  Pushing a month and a half.  39 DAYS. 39 NIGHTS.  No family to take her in.  No shelter to be found.  Aside from 4 walls and a roof, 68 Waldo Ave hardly resembles a home.  Shoddy electricity compromised by the storm/flooding.  Working just enough to start a house fire given time, and to electrocute me pretty good when I put my hand on one of the light switches by the door, shooting pain up my arm into my shoulder and chest.  Also, NO HEAT.  Mind you, it was hardly above 30* last night and only getting colder.  As I made my way to the door, I could hear her call out to me.  "Mark, Im freezing!".  I will never ever ever forget hearing that.  Ever.  How on earth are we allowing for people to live like this?  It's so unacceptable.  My stomach turns and my heart aches.

Ms. Cedeno is my mother's age, and like my mother, a woman I'll think fondly of and draw inspiration from, until the day I die.  We come from completely different walks of life.  I cannot begin to relate to the hardships she has had to endure in her life.  Even before the storm, every day was a struggle for her to make ends meat and get by.  Me, well lets be honest, I've had it easy.  Despite our endless differences, she has quickly captured my heart.

After getting Ms. Cedeno in my car, wrapped in BC High sweatshirts, and eating plain turkey sandwiches, I was on a mission to find a warm place for her to stay.  It was taking every ounce of me not to break down and cry.  Why is an unknown 30 year old man from Boston the first person to take interest in this beautiful woman's well being in Queens?

7 hours later, after trips to City Hall and 2 FEMA stations spread out around Long Island, we were able to secure Ms. Cedeno warm shelter, a hot shower, and food.  Throughout the day, I had the privilege of getting to know quite a bit about my new friend.  She is an incredible woman, tough as nails, while possessing a beautiful smile.  The smile became apparent each time I tried to speak spanish, Ms. Cedeno's first language.  I think sometimes she was laughing with me, other times, certainly at me.

As I was saying my good byes to Ms. Cedeno at FEMA's HQ tonight, she embraced me in a big hug and called me her angel.  I cried the whole way home.

Ms. Cedeno, you are my queen of Queens.

Mark/Chops

ps..I can't thank my partners in crime at NECHAMA enough.  Your work inspires me to want to do more.   Having you in my corner today, and everyday, means the world to me.

MY QUEEN OF QUEENS, MS. EDITA CEDENO

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days.