AmeriCares heads to NY to help after Sandy

STAMFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- Piles of debris were mounting with the smell of bleach saturating the air. Still it's an unsettling scene in the Rockaways of Queens, New York, two weeks after Sandy.

With no power, the Addabo Family Health Center, the lifeline of the community, is cut off temporarily from the people they serve.

"This is a peninsula, they have not other provider," said Dr. Alfonso Chan. "Our doctors are here, but they cannot function without electricity."

Dr. Chan continued on to say, "with AmeriCares, at least we can run two rooms there, to see our patients."

Steadfast and standing by is AmeriCares, the Connecticut based disaster relief organization with it's mobile clinic.

"Basically what we're doing....lower level has been flooded." said Karen Gottlieb, AmeriCares.

Outside was an emergency cry for help. A makeshift exam area was set up quickly.

Family members seeing the van brought a man who was having difficulty breathing, and was given oxygen right on the spot.

The patient is a diabetic and was later transported to the nearest hospital.

Inside was a thankful Mohamed Diallo.

"This mobile clinic is a godsend," said Mohamed Diallo, grandfather.

Thankful that his sick five-month-old granddaughter is getting the treatment she needed.

"I lost everything, we're living day by day," said Diallo.

"Are you getting any help," asked News 8's Jocelyn Maminta.

"No help right now," said Diallo.

It wasn't the first stop for AmeriCares, it has already logged long hours on Staten Island.

"The situation here is devastating," Gottlieb said. "The amount of damage is unbelievable."

"Where do you go from here," asked Maminta.

"It's a moving target. I honestly don't know where," said Gottlieb. "We'll stay here to help this community, this health center until they open and then we'll look and see where else we can help."

Americares has donated 1,900 blankets to be delivered Tuesday to homes on Staten Island without power.

Since Sandy struck AmeriCares has filled the immediate needs of clinics and shelters along the East Coast.