After Sandy, New York kids help their neighbors

Kids are continuing to adapt to post Sandy life in New York City. Schools have been closed for a week, while thousands are still without power, food, and housing.

Many New Yorkers are concerned about the disabled and elderly people stuck in tall buildings where the electrical outage means heat, water elevators are not working. One group of tweens decided to do something for those less fortunate.

“Me and my friends Sella and Jack, we’re delivering food to a building in Tribeca that has a lot of seniors” said 12-year-old seventh grader Madison.

The three kid volunteers are collecting supplies and money in the lobby of an apartment building located in Battery Park City.

Battery Park City is a neighborhood at the southwestern tip of lower Manhattan. Parts of Battery Park City have had its power restored.

The tween volunteers plan to deliver food, water, batteries, and other essentials to stranded residents living in Independence Plaza, a 40-story residential tower located in Tribeca. Tribeca is a Manhattan neighborhood in lower Manhattan that has been without power since the super-storm Sandy hit on Monday. Tribeca’s name is an acronym of "Triangle below Canal Street"

People are gathering at outlets and power strips in lower Manhattan that have been offered to charge cell phones. Workers at restaurants and stores are cooking and selling food on sidewalks in Tribeca for the thousands of residents who are not able to cook or refrigerate food.

Unfortunately, many people living in high-rises like Independence Plaza are unable to get down to the street level because elevators are not operating. The Manhattan power outages resulted from flooded underground lines and a transformer fire at a substation during the hurricane.

“People have been so generous and we are really grateful for all the food and money that has been donated.” said 12-year-old volunteer Sella.

—Kid Reporter Cecilia Gault

Photo: Kid Reporter Cecilia Gault with three tween volunteers helping their neighbors in lower Manhattan who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy. (Courtesy Cecilia Gault)