Slideshow
Hurricane Sandy left this house near Cedar Grove Avenue and Maple Terrace flattened on Tuesday Oct. 29, 2012.
DNAinfo/Nicholas Rizzi
Cars sit partially submerged near 17 South William St. in Lower Manhattan on Oct. 30, 2012 after Hurricane Sandy ripped through the city.
DNAinfo/Chelsia Rose Marcius
According to Upper West Side resident Ken Biberaj, the boats at the 79th Street Boat Basin survived, but the docks were roughed up by the storm.
Ken Biberaj
More than 80 homes in Breezy Point were destroyed by a blaze brought on by Hurricane Sandy on Monday, Oct. 30, 2012.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Tree fallen at Dean and Bond streets.
Howard Kolins
Many houses were destroyed or heavily damaged along Stehn Promenade, including more than 100 that burned to the ground. Photos taken Tuesday Oc. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
A Statue of the Virgin Mary stands amid the burned out homes on Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
Many houses were destroyed or heavily damaged along Stehn Promenade, including more than 100 that burned to the ground. Photos taken Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
Many houses were destroyed or heavily damaged along Stehn Promenade, including more than 100 that burned to the ground. Photos taken Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
Many houses were destroyed or heavily damaged along Stehn Promenade, including more than 100 that burned to the ground. Photos taken Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
The end of New Dorp Lane was only rubble and water Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012, after Hurricane Sandy passed through.
DNAinfo/Nicholas Rizzi
Midland Avenue and Hylan Boulevard in Grant City were still flooded the morning of Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012, after Hurricane Sandy struck Staten Island.
DNAinfo/Nicholas Rizzi
Paul Ugactz stands by his black Mustang, which was covered by a large wooden beam at East 20th Street near the East River that washed in during flooding. Ugactz, who estimated the beam to weigh about 2 tons, said his car was parked 100 feet up the road, and floated back to this spot. He said the water was about 8 feet deep Monday night in the area.
DNAinfo/Joseph Tabacca
Paul Ugactz stands by his black Mustang, which was covered by a large wooden beam at East 20th Street near the East River that washed in during flooding. Ugactz, who estimated the beam to weigh about 2 tons, said his car was parked 100 feet up the road, and floated back to this spot. He said the water was about 8 feet deep Monday night in the area.
DNAinfo/Joseph Tabacca
Paul Ugactz stands by his black Mustang, which was covered by a large wooden beam at East 20th Street near the East River that washed in during flooding. Ugactz, who estimated the beam to weigh about 2 tons, said his car was parked 100 feet up the road, and floated back to this spot. He said the water was about 8 feet deep Monday night in the area.
DNAinfo/Joseph Tabacca
Fallen trees in Astoria.
Sylvester P. Lukasiewicz
A fire destroyed Tony's Pier restaurant on City Island Sunday night, during the onslaught of Hurricane Sandy.
Facebook/Friends of Community Board 10
Many houses were destroyed or heavily damaged along Stehn Promenade, including more than 100 that burned to the ground. Photos taken Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
Many houses were destroyed or heavily damaged along Stehn Promenade, including more than 100 that burned to the ground. Photos taken Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
Newtown Creek flooded a nearby gas station.
Newtown Creek Alliance
The Midtown Tunnel flooded as Hurricane Sandy hit New York City.
Anthony Planakis
MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota and Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Oct. 29, 2012, during Hurricane Sandy.
Flickr/MTA Photos
The burned-out shell of cars in Breezy Point on Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
Firefighters still working at the scene on Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
Residents take stock of the destruction on Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
Many houses were destroyed or heavily damaged along Stehn Promenade, including more than 100 that burned to the ground. Photos taken Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
Many houses were destroyed or heavily damaged along Stehn Promenade, including more than 100 that burned to the ground. Photos taken Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
Many houses were destroyed or heavily damaged along Stehn Promenade, including more than 100 that burned to the ground. Photos taken Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
A tree fell along South Street during Hurricane Sandy.
DNAinfo/Chelsia Rose Marcius
Fallen linden trees at Andrews Grove Playground on 49th Avenue in Hunters Point.
Jan Latus
Two people and a dog were found dead beneath a tree on a Flatbush street Tuesday morning, Oct. 30, 2012, the FDNY and residents said. The incident occurred as Hurricane Sandy battered New York City Monday night and Tuesday morning.
DNAinfo/Leslie Albrecht
Residents in Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill saw downed trees, flooded basements, and spotty cable service.
Dnainfo/Heather Holland
Erik Fuller, a photographer and Clock Tower resident, captured images of the flooding around Bruckner Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue.
Erik Fuller/Erik Fuller Photography
Erik Fuller, a photographer and Clock Tower resident, captured images of the flooding around Bruckner Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue.
Erik Fuller/Erik Fuller Photography
Corner of 49th Ave and 5th Steet in Hunters Point.
Facebook/Long Island City
A Department of Buildings official looks at the partial collapse of a Chelsea apartment building on Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Joseph Tabacca
The exterior facade of a Chelsea apartment fell off when Hurricane Sandy made landfall Monday Oct. 29, 2012.
DNAinfo/Joseph Tabacca
Residents stand in flood waters and survey the damage in Breezy Point on Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
Storm damage in Breezy Point on Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne
Tree down near Fort Greene Park, Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Janet Upadhye
A tree fell on South Elliot Place, smashing a car Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Janet Upadhye
Damaged interior of Water Street Gourmet in wake of Hurricane Sandy, Oct. 30, 2012.
DNAinfo/Chelsia Rose Marcius
Tourists visited 57th Street Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012, to see a crane that collapsed and was in danger of falling.
DNAinfo/Alan Neuhauser
Fargo resident Ann Riley takes a photo of her sisters Pauline Spencer, visiting from England, and Dora Rooke, visiting from Toronto, as they stand below the site of a collapsed crane on Tuesday Oct. 30, 2012. Spencer is holding the top of a cookie tin printed with the words, "Keep calm and carry on."
DNAinfo/Alan Neuhauser
Officials prepared stations for flooding in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy on Oct. 29, 2012.
Flickr/MTA Photos
"PHOTO - AN OCEAN ON NY'S LOWER EAST SIDE. Never happened ever like this," tweeted @nycarecs during Hurricane Sandy on Monday, Oct. 29, 2012.
Twitter/@nycarecs
A police car partially submerged near the East River during Hurricane Sandy on Monday, Oct. 29, 2012.
Instagram/almonte_the_great
Hurricane Sandy left this house near Cedar Grove Avenue and Maple Terrace flattened on Tuesday Oct. 29, 2012.
Photo Credit: DNAinfo/Nicholas Rizzi
STATEN ISLAND — Forget just making a donation — an organization is helping families "adopt" Staten Island victims of Hurricane Sandy.
"It Takes a Family" links people wanting to help to individuals impacted by the storm, who share a list of exactly what they need.
“I think that people like the personal connection,” said Corine Ingrassia, one of the co-founders of the site. “People know where their money is going to, they in a way feel a connection with the family.
“It gives a personalization to it, and they know exactly what the family's needs are and they know their donations are answering a specific need."
So far, the website has helped more than 100 families around Staten Island. More than 400 people have signed up to help.
The site did its first donation drive for Thanksgiving, and is working on a second for Christmas.
Ingrassia, who lives in New Jersey but grew up on Staten Island, said she did not expect to get such a large number of people who wanted to donate to families.
“We didn’t expect it at all,” she said. “The volunteers were pouring in way faster than families initially.”
The site is currently run by Ingrassia and Melissa Chapman, both owners and editors of online parenting websites, who place volunteers with families in need.
Families can sign up to get help on the site themselves but, more often, neighbors or friends will nominate one.
“A lot of these families that are finding themselves with nothing are usually on the giving side of donating,” Ingrassia said. “They’re usually just getting comfortable with, or usually not comfortable with, getting help.”
Generally, volunteers do not deliver donations in person.
The website receives donations from local people and some all over the country, including a donation from a law firm in New Orleans.
“They knew exactly what they've gone through,” said Ingrassia. “They really were able to help [the family] in a big way. They used the money to get started on rebuilding.”
She's hoping the service will continue after Christmas.
“We would love to because we've had such a great, positive response,” she said. “But it’s a lot to manage. Right now, it is just Melissa and I.”
She said she was in talks with other organizations who could potentially take over handling the families donations.