Folks feed Hurricane Sandy victims in NY

GUILFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- It's been over a month since Hurricane Sandy and people along the East Coast are still recovering.

For Connecticut Hurricane Sandy has come and gone. The power is back on and most of us are thinking about the holidays, but during the early morning hours in Guilford about a half dozen people met in the dark at the commuter lot to go help the people in Rockaway, New York, who are still without power, without water, and without food.

"Really it is out of sight out of mind," said Fletcher Moppert, "and if you can imagine what it looks like it is 10 times worse."

Ray Luden saw the need in New York and just started callings friends and emailing strangers, trying to get volunteers to join him on his weekly trips to Rockaway.

At first it was a couple of guys with grills, cooking on the front lawn of a church with other volunteers, but now he has four trucks loaded up with hundreds of meals ready to serve.

"Our daughters play soccer together and that is how I know Ray," said Aaron Basil, "and the plea went out through the soccer club and next thing you know I am driving a truck to New York with food, good stuff."

Ray and his friends are not part of any organization, they are just neighbors helping neighbors. They got all the food, the pasta, the Mexican dishes, the sandwiches, from local restaurants and families. And they just say take it down there and feed the people.

"When I call someone or stop by their restaurant and tell them what we are doing, it's instant they say what do you want me to make? And I say whatever you want, whatever you would bring to your neighborhood BBQ," Ray said.

"You just see people wandering around and they just come up to you and they thank you and it is so gratifying," Aaron said. "And I believe that everybody should give back to the community."

If you would like to lend a helping hand and join the crew contact Ray at Rayzor1122@hotmail.com. They say they will continue to go for the next six weeks or until all of the power is back on.