The state Comptroller's Office, a Teamsters' local and Cobleskill-based Care 4 New York teamed up to help Hurricane Sandy victims last week.
The trio delivered a tractor-trailer load of much-needed cleaning supplies and supplies and food to the hard-hit Rockaways in Queens.
Care 4 NY developed out of Irene relief efforts last year, and in November began collecting at the group's Guilford Mills base for Sandy victims.
The state Comptroller's Office, which helped Schoharie County after Irene, learned of the collection and coordinated Teamsters' local 294 to truck the goods to Queens.
"With the focus on Sandy, we can't thank Care 4 New York enough," said John Laurent of the Comptroller's Office. "Schoharie County is very generous in giving these supplies."
Lovey Lee of Care 4 NY said the goods included personal care items, muck buckets, bleach, mops, sponges, food and pet food.
Teamster volunteer Tony Sidoti backed his tractor-trailer into the vacant Guilford storage area Friday morning, and volunteers from the Comptroller's Office and Care 4 NY began loading right away.
On Sunday morning, Mr. Sidoti drove the truck to Queens, where another Comptroller's team--including state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli--helped unload and distribute the supplies, Mr. Laurent said.
Work by the Comptroller's volunteers continues a tie to Schoharie County that started in October 2011. Then, volunteers from that Albany office came to Schoharie to work with SALT on cleanup efforts.
In the months that followed, Mr. Laurent said, Mr. DiNapoli reached contacts in the trade unions, and tradesmen helped with carpentry, electric and plumbing at Schoharie homes.
"We've really developed quite a relationship with Schoharie and Schoharie County," Mr. Laurent said, adding that the office has "adopted" seven or eight homes in the Irene-stricken Valley.
Care 4 NY, meanwhile, will continue collecting goods for Sandy victims. Collections will shift from cleanup goods as New York City's recovery moves along, Ms. Lee said.
"We plan to keep this up as needs changes," she said. "Anything we can do to help in the future is at the top of our list."
Items can be dropped off at Guilford 10am-3pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.