And more help is headed to the people left in the powerless zones after Hurricane Sandy! Governor Cuomo just announced that the National Guard with FEMA will be delivering "one million meals and bottled water to New Yorkers" in affected areas like Lower Manhattan, parts of Brooklyn and Queens, including the Rockaways. The free meals start later today.

"After days without powers, the most immediate need for many New Yorkers is food and water and the state is working aggressively to address this need." Cuomo said in the announcement. "The first plane into JFK this morning was from FEMA, carrying supplies and personnel we requested. New York state will continue to deploy all our resources in response to Hurricane Sandy and adjust to the needs and concerns of New Yorkers so that we can ensure a safe and speedy recovery."

According to the governor's office FEMA and the National Guard will work with the city and "major not-for-profit organizations" to establish points of distribution and set up staging stations throughout the most affected areas. "National Guardsman will assist with the delivery of approximately 30 tractor-trailers of the food and water, by going door-to-door to New Yorkers who have been without power and electricity since Hurricane Sandy hit the state. The National Guardsmen and FEMA officials will also check the wellness and needs of individuals in these areas to ensure that residents are safe."

In addition, Cuomo will visit a distribution site in Manhattan later this afternoon. We are still awaiting a full list of sites, but the locations in lower Manhattan for pick ups are below:

  • 10th Street between Avenues C and D

  • Catherine Street between Monroe and Cherry Streets (Smith Houses)

  • Pitt and Houston Streets

  • Grand and Clinton Streets - water only

  • Bowery and Division Street (Confucius Plaza)

Further, in Brooklyn Coffey Park in Red Hook and Surf Avenue Playground in Coney Island will also be serving as distribution centers. Distribution starts at 3 p.m. and goes until 6 p.m. There will be another round delivered Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

When it is available a full list of locations will be available here.