Tween Sings 'Message of Hope' to Post-Sandy Long Beach

Written by Carisa Giardino 

Jessica Faith Yoo was so moved by the devastation Hurricane Sandy left in her wake that she immediately jumped at the chance to help those who lost so much, including her Spanish teacher Billy Kupferman of Long Beach.

Kupferman suffered severe damage to his home during the storm and was displaced for most of the school year. It just so happens he is the co-founder of Project Pay It Forward. Kathleen Yoo, Jessica's mom, is on the board of outreach for Garden City Community Church and immediately wanted to make a connection.

"What is impressive about Project Pay It Forward is that it is a way for people to become directly involved and all money raised goes directly to the specific homeowner or business owner involved in the project they are working on at the time," Kathleen said.

GCCC held fundraisers like "Will Sing For Food" and "Hunger for Hunger: 30 Hour Fast" to raise money for Sandy victims in the Long Beach area. The church also sponsored a mission trip in Long Beach in which 60 youth and adults spent a week rebuilding and restoring homes with Next Step Ministries.

The Yoo family made several trips down to the ice arena with Jessica to help organize and distribute supplies. "She saw first hand what the area looked like immediately following the storm and the image of giant rubbish piled high, cars on lawns, broken and abandoned homes and storefronts and desperate looking people sorting through it all stayed with her," Kathleen said.

Jessica was then asked by her band teacher, Karyn Glickman, to record the song "Hang On," originally written for Glickman as a "message of hope" while she recovered from a serious car accident. Jessica heard the song, which was written by Fabian Reyes, "and immediately thought about how the people of Long Beach could use the message," Kathleen said.

Jessica's uncle, Brian Thomson, a filmmaker, suggested she make a video. Jessica filmed the video, with help from Thomson, Reyes and Kupferman, on the newly opened section of the Long Beach boardwalk, braving 100+ temperatures during the recent heat wave.

Jessica, who's been singing since a young age, honing her craft harmonizing with her older sisters, Jennifer (22) and Jillian (19), has participated in the Garden City Community Church Choir and Theatre group since age 5. She recently starred as Ariel in this year's production of "The Little Mermaid" at Stratford School.

"Although the storm had a minor impact on our family, we all were affected by the impact that it had on our friends and neighbors in Long Beach and along the coast," Kathleen said.

Jessica, who will be entering Garden City Middle School in the fall, hopes the song will "rejuvenate" and "re-energize" fundraising efforts still going on in Long Beach.

To learn more about Project Pay It Forward Long Beach, visit http://www.projectpayitforwardlb.com/.