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Hurricane Sandy hit Rockaway Beach, Queens on October 29, 2012, destroying the majority of the boardwalk around which the Rockaway community was centered. 
Monique Harris of Far Rockaway lost everything when Hurricane Sandy hit on October 12, 2012.  The rented apartment where she and her two daughters were living was flooded with water from the bay and the sewers, destroying all of their belonging
As her landlord neglects to make any repairs to make the apartment livable in the months following Hurricane Sandy and FEMA fails to find her family hotel availability, Monique has limited options as she refuses to return to the New York CIty shelte
With FEMA's inability to find hotel availability close enough to allow Monique to continue to work and her daughters to attend school, she moves in with a friend.  What is originally considered a very temporary situation turns into 7 months as
Monique's two youngest daughters, Austeen, 16, and Adua, 14 read together in the room of friend's house they share for the months they were displaced.   
Preparing for Christmas in Rockaway, Queens, December 2012.
Lillian Gerson prepares to deliver soup to home-bound Rockaway residents through the Rockaway Rescue Alliance project Shore Soup, which was formed by Robyn Hillman-Harriman in the days after Hurricane Sandy devastated the peninsula.  
Rockaway resident Daniella delivers soup to residents and volunteer workers, who were forced to rely heavily on donations and local initiatives during the power black out as they received minimal relief aid from institutional organizations. 
Daniella of Rockaway delivers meals from Shore Soup to Occupy Sandy workers as they break from repairing a resident's home damaged in the storm on October 29th, 2012.
Bob of Rockaway dries deeds, certificates, and other important documents that he recovered from the streets after Hurricane Sandy flooded his home.
Children celebrate the newly planted Christmas tree outside of Occupy Sandy's Rockaway headquarters as the community gears up for the holidays and a potentially harsh winter, 2012
Tito of Far Rockaway turns to gardening for comfort after Hurricane Sandy destroyed his apartment on October 29, 2012, forcing him to live in unsafe conditions while fighting to maintain his sobriety.  
Rockaway resident Karen Tighe holds lanterns to be released into the ocean as a sign of hope and acknowledgement of the one year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy. October 28, 2013. 
On October 28, 2013, a woman looks on as community members and supporters of Rockaway, Queens join hands in a gesture of solidarity in the on-going recovery efforts taking place since Hurricane Sandy hit the peninsula one year prior.
Rockaway Beach Boardwalk, Queens, New York.  November 13, 2012.