A group of storm victims and faith leaders will walk 21 miles Saturday and Sunday from Far Rockaway to City Hall, in what they are calling the 'Sandy Sojourn'.
The group says it's making the walk to commemmorate the efforts of volunteers in the wake of the storm, and to call on the city's next mayor to address ongoing issues in communities still recovering from Sandy.
The walk will go through hard-hit communities in Queens and Brooklyn.
The group says Sandy victims are frustrated with the slow pace of the recovery, saying homeowners and renters still suffer from rising rents and flood insurance rates, financial instability, unsafe living conditions, and inadequate access to health care.
"Volunteers from our church and community have worked very hard over the past year to support Sandy victims who were struggling with unemployment and high levels of poverty even before the storm hit," said Father Fulgencio Gutierrez, pastor of St. Mary Star of the Sea & St. Gertrude Church in Far Rockaway. "Sandy victims in my community who were once middle class have depleted their children's college savings to pay for repairs when FEMA and their insurance companies didn't cover all costs. We will walk to City Hall to say we expect the next mayor of New York City to act upon a plan during his first 100 days in office to speed up the recovery process and create economic opportunity for all Sandy victims with billions in federal rebuilding funds."
