Applebee’s and Queens Tourism Council donate $1,500 to Rockaway Waterfront Alliance for Sandy Relief Efforts

Image Source: Rob MacKay

Sometimes good things happen to good organizations. The Rockaway Waterfront Alliance, which has been spearheading relief efforts in Southeast Queens since Hurricane Sandy, recently received a $1,500 donation from Applebee’s and the Queens Tourism Council.

The money was raised via Breakfast with Santa, an event that took place at the Applebee’s branches in Astoria, Bayside, Fresh Meadows and Rego Park on Dec. 22, 2012. Patrons paid $10 for a complete buffet breakfast and the chance to spend some time with St. Nick. The restaurant chain and QTC, which promotes the borough as a great place to stay, play, eat, enjoy culture, watch sports and have family fun, then gave all the proceeds to RWA to celebrate its tremendous response to the superstorm.

On the night Sandy hit, Oct. 29, 2012, RWA volunteers began giving homebound residents hot meals and providing emergency food and clothing from Firehouse 59 on Rockaway Beach Boulevard. They then delivered care packages of emergency supplies door-to- door along Rockaway Peninsula and in public housing projects. After the emergency phase, RWA assisted with large-scale clean ups, clearing streets of washed out cars, removing mountains of sand and debris and assisting businesses and homeowners in digging out their properties. In the future, the group will work with the local community on educational initiatives and planning efforts to rebuild the Rockaway Peninsula as a more environmentally resilient waterfront community.

Photo caption: Seen with the $1,500 check at the Rockaway Hip Hop Community Garden near Firehouse 59 are (from left) Seth Bornstein, executive director of the Queens Economic Development Corporation, which handles operations for QTC; Sharon Valzer, area director for Apple Metro, NY Metro Applebee’s Franchisee; and RWA President Jeanne DuPont.