All Hands Volunteers to Start New Rebuild Program in L.B.

Story by Danielle De Souza

All Hands Volunteers, a non-profit organization that has provided hands-on assistance to communities around the world, including in Long Beach after Hurricane Sandy, announced that it would launch a new rebuild program for storm victims in the city in coming weeks.

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Monique Pilie, associate project director of All Hands, said that the program

will include the installation of subfloors and dry walls in homes, during a South Merrick Community Civic Association meeting on Tuesday.  

The organization currently guts houses on Long Island with material damaged by floodwaters and treats homes for mold at no cost. All Hands has worked on close to 100 homes in Long Beach, Merrick, Freeport, Amityville and Lindenhurst.

"To test the homes for mold there are no qualifications," Pilie said. "We don't care about your finances or if you got help for FEMA; we are there to help you."

However, there will be financial qualifications for the rebuild program, which will be announced when it starts.

Pilie said the organization would work on Long Island until the end of 2013.

As a New Orleans native and survivor of Hurricane Katrina, she spoke of the importance of residents volunteering with the organization.

"The only way that New Orleans got back on its feet is because people came down and helped," she said. "I want to be able to pay it forward."

To make a donation to All Hands or for more information on the rebuild program, visit hands.org or call (516) 359-5336.