Elderly Massapequa Couple Feels Community's Warmth

For the first time since Hurricane Sandy hit, Claire and Tom Avellino had a fully heated home Monday night.

The elderly couple lost use of their gas heater in the storm, which did severe damage to their home.

"They stayed throughout the storm," said Robert Allgor of National Grid, which donated a brand new boiler to the Avellinos. "They had four feet of water in the house and eight feet in the garage."

The Avellinos also weren't able to get help as they both have ailments that make it difficult to get around, nor were they willing to abandon their Massapequa home, which overlooks a canal.

"We didn't leave at all because if we did, they would have ransacked it," said Claire, 90, whose husband Tom is 93 years-old. "We just stayed upstairs because there was no place else to go."

Claire said that the home didn't sustain any damage during Hurricane Irene in 2011, despite its close proximity with the water.

Fortunately, they were on the radar of National Grid and Rebuilding Together Long Island, a Massapequa-based non-profit that does home repairs for local elderly in need.

"Six months ago they happened to get a a wheelchair ramp built," said Allgor, who also works with Rebuilding Together Long Island. "We visited the site right after the storm."

They were able to find three companies willing to donate a boiler. They settled on one installed by Bellmore-based Centigrade Heating and Cooling.  But the house had other serious problems. Workers were brought in to work on the floor, sheetrock and walls of the home.

A local church donated appliances to the Avellinos. 

Sol Goldstein the president of Massapequa Based Rebuilding Long Island Together estimates the total cost of all the work will run at least $40,000, all of it being donated.

"We won't leave unless everything is done," he said.

Rebuilding Long Island, which is mostly made up of retired home contractors, does about 100 such jobs in homes around the area per year.

National Grid says they're hoping to get the word out that help is available for customers in similar situations as the Avellinos.

The company offers several types of of assistance ranging from bill credits (See PDF) to long term help, like the Avellinos received.

Allgor said National Grid Customers in need of assistance should contact them at 1-877-MY-NGRID (1-877-696-4743). 

A National Grid Representative will ask a few questions and may refer those who qualify to HeartShare Human Service, which will confirm eligibility.

The process worked wonderfully for the Avellinos.

"I think it's great, I can't thank Bob [Allgor] enough," said Tom, a World War II veteran who served in North Africa with the Army Air Corps. 

Claire also praised the efforts of the workers who've become close to the longtime residents. 

"Instead of a tragedy, we gained a new family," she said.