“Better organized than the City.” —The New York Times, December 9, 2012

People’s Relief is an ad hoc grassroots organization working to support and empower Coney Island’s poor and low-income communities and communities of color in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Building on relationships we forged through the emergency relief effort we coordinated in October–November 2012, we aim to reinforce and amplify community-led initiatives seeking to develop grassroots leadership and create long-term community infrastructure. By providing logistical and tactical support and connecting organizers to relevant resources, trainings, organizations, and campaigns around New York City and beyond, we seek to assist Coney Island residents and leaders in their efforts to grow a culture of mutual support, robust civic participation, and equitable resource distribution in their neighborhood.