ROME, N.Y. — First, there was the pre-dawn rude awakening on Sunday.
“I woke up because my entire back door was flung open, broke, all the rain and water was coming in like hurricane status,” Ashley Stevens of Rome said.
Two days later, it’s the gift that keeps on taking.
“I came to replenish all the food because my entire freezers and my fridge, everything, went bad. Everything melted, milk, meats—everything,” said Stevens.
She is one of many people lining up at Community Connected Schools, in Rome, for storm recovery help from Oneida County.
“We’ve been very, very busy. I would say it started out a little bit slower, but it’s been very, very steady and the last half hour, 45 minutes there’s been a line. Constantly a line,” Oneida County Social Services Commissioner Colleen Fahy-Box said.
Many sought help at a second location: the Kirkland Senior Center in Clark Mills.
“A whole fridge full, at least,” Clark Mills resident Tonja Bleichert said.
The greatest need seemed to be food.
The storm struck early Sunday morning.
Many people had gone grocery shopping Saturday, and all that food was lost for those who lost power.
“Recently we just went out and bought our meat packages, over $700, and that’s all gone. So, I would say at least $1,200 in food,” said Rome resident Amanda Smith.
“The other biggest need is tree removal or damage caused by tree damage,” said Fahy-Box.
Help came quickly for many.
“Many people are coming through who are more SSI, SSD maybe low income. They’re not on SNAP, so those people we’re looking at immediate need, and for those people, we’re utilizing Price Chopper gift cards today,” Fahy-Box said.
Help will be available the rest of the week at both locations.
First, there was the pre-dawn rude awakening on Sunday.
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