After Hurricane Sandy, Council Member Rosie Mendez connected the Gramercy Park Block Association with a Lower East Side daycare center serving children affected by the storm. The December 3, 2012 update described a visit and the delivery of winter clothing, including hats, gloves and scarves.
The update set out plans for further supplies, including bedding, rugs, books and educational materials. The subsequent toy-drive account identified Escuela Hispana Montessori and described deliveries of clothing and other essentials to help its displaced school community.
Paddy Maguire’s annual toy drive extended the relationship into the holidays. The practical needs of a school recovering from flooding became one focus of the wider Neighbors Helping Neighbors effort.