Lunches Still Sought for Displaced Sandy Residents

It may be well over a month since Sandy brought storm surges and howling winds to this region, but you might not know that looking at parts of Staten Island, N.Y.

"Many parts of Staten Island look like the storm hit only days ago, not weeks ago," said Cathy Fersini-Campitiello of Bernardsville, who has been transporting hand-packed bagged lunches to her former home borough since after Thanksgiving in late November.

"The food is still greatly needed," she said this week, after continuing to extend the time she has been delivering lunches to spots where Sandy victims are displaced or homeless.

As such, she still is looking for people to donate lunches that she can take to Staten Island, where her husband travels for his job.

Fersini-Campitiello said her plan is to continue delivering the lunches this week and next. "If I could get more people, I will continue to the following week as well. If that doesn't work because of the holiday I will start again in January if still needed," she added. 

Fersini-Campitiello has been seeking local volunteers to help her pack 20 bagged lunches to contribute toward those she has been taken to parts of Staten Island where residents' lives were "devastated" by Sandy.

Fersini-Campitiello initially had reached out to friends in the Somerset Hills before this week to ask for help. Among those who volunteered was with ham or turkey sandwiches, fruit, water and a snack.

That first letter noted that donations had been supplied to the area after the storm, but some sources were ending after Thanksgiving.

Fersini-Campitiello said that anyone who wants to get involved can contact her at cathyfersini@me.com.