Nature Volunteers Run Shelters In NYC

05:14

November 15, 2012

Members of the Washington Conservation Corps volunteer at Lehman College in the Bronx, where the gymnasium is serving as a shelter for displaced residents. (Washington Conservation Corps/Facebook)

Many of the volunteers heading to New York City to help with Hurricane Sandy relief efforts are doing jobs they never expected to do.

Members of the Washington Conservation Corps - most in their early twenties - packed chainsaws for their cross-country trip, expecting to be cleaning up debris.

Instead, they've been helping to take care of special needs adults sheltered in a Brooklyn high school, who were evacuated from nursing homes in Rockaway and Coney Island.

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Another group has been working in a shelter at Lehman College in the Bronx.

The Corporation for National and Community Service says its expects thousands of AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members to help in the recovery as well.

New York Times: Driving Cross-Country to Clean Up Debris, but Adapting to Help Run a Shelter
Independent Record: Montana crews head east to help out Sandy victims

Guests:

Peter Nevin and Randal Ladowski, members of the Washington Conservation Corps.

This segment aired on November 15, 2012.