Sandy Forces FDNY To Cancel Christmas Toy Delivery To Katrina Victims

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Hurricane Sandy has forced New York City firefighters to cancel their annual Christmas toy delivery to Mississippi areas hit in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina.

And a Gulfport, Miss., man is collecting tools to help hurricane victims in New Jersey rebuild their homes.

Retired New York firefighter Tom O'Connor tells The Sun Herald of Biloxi that more than 2,000 current and retired firefighters have either lost their homes or sustained major damage to them.

He says everyone involved is very sorry that the underprivileged children they've helped since 2005 will have to  face the holidays without their toy drive.

Thomas Barnes of Gulfport tells WLOX-TV that he will help people gut their homes and start rebuilding. He was collecting tools and money Sunday afternoon, and planned to leave early Monday.

Meanwhile, in the Tri-State area, residents have come together to provide relief for victims of the storm.

Staten Islanders have banded together to deliver help and supplies to those who lost everything in superstorm Sandy. Cleaning supplies are at the top of the list of necessities needed by many residents.

In the Rockaways, volunteers helped clean up debris and collected food and water at the Rockaway Beach Surf Club , and members of the local Sikh community pitched in as well.

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