Nine years ago, Superstorm Sandy, the worst natural disaster to ever hit New Jersey, made landfall near Atlantic City.
Its impacts were felt statewide and some of the worst damage happened along Barnegat Bay Island in Ocean County.
Superstorm Sandy devastated the community of Mantoloking as it damaged or destroyed every building. But it was the resilience of the community and its will to rebuild stronger and better that outweighed the power of Mother Nature.
“There’s been nine years of amazingness in being able to help and serve the community with multiple different programs. Since Hurricane Sandy, we’ve helped rebuild and repair over 349 different homes, says Christie Winters, of Seeds of Service.
A few miles inland and away from the apocalyptic scene in Mantoloking, a church remained standing with electricity – by sheer luck.
Winters knew with those resources, her Brick Township parish could help many who had nothing left just over the Mantoloking Bridge.
It was from that moment that Seeds of Service was born.
