Adopt A House

Adopt a House (AAH) administers comprehensive disaster aid and long-term recovery for individuals, families, and community members, and provides assistance in emergency circumstances to increase quality of life. Based in Lindenhurst, NY, AAH was formed in October 2012 to address the immediate needs of communities impacted by Superstorm Sandy, the largest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. The South Shore of Long Island, NY was one of the areas hardest hit along the Northeast, with 100,000 homes damaged, destroyed, or severely flooded. The area continues to face regular coastal flooding due to climate change and rising sea levels. AAH provides educational workshops, community outreach, and programs for financial assistance, and community service, and acts as a liaison between elected officials, programs, and registered families. AAH aims to ensure those impacted or at risk of being impacted by disasters can continue to not only stay but weather disasters for a high quality of life on Long Island.

AAH is entirely run by volunteer community members, many of whom are Superstorm Sandy survivors, with one full-time staff person. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, the group hosted roofing, siding, house-lifting and mold remediation workshops; granted over $100,000 in cash and gift cards to needy families; worked with the NY Rising program on behalf of families; worked with lawyers on FEMA/NFIP (Natural Flood Insurance Plan) claim payouts; and with Touro Law School, helped residents file supplementary insurance claims, among other projects. As part of the Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance (CSFI), they continue to advocate for improved policies to benefit disaster victims. AAH, with the American Venice Civic Association and Thriving Earth Exchange, is designing and implementing a living shoreline at the mouth of the historic Grand Canal in the American Venice community. This project will help mitigate erosion and flooding and provide habitat and ecosystem services.

For more information:

Designing a living shoreline to mitigate flooding and increase community resilience – Thriving Earth Exchange

Reps. Rice, Garbarino Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Long Island Homeowners From Upcoming National Flood Insurance Program Changes – InsuranceNewsNet, May 2021 

Civic group kicks off Grand Canal restoration initiative in Lindenhurst – Greater Long Island, November 2020 

Post-Superstorm Sandy Lindenhurst struggles to rebuild – ABC7, October 2017