Holiday dinner served to many still picking up the pieces after remnants of Ida decimated New Jersey apartment complex
ELIZABETH, N.J. -- A holiday dinner for families still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Ida was held Sunday night.
Ida forced hundreds of people from their homes and as a result, many of them have struggled to enjoy the holidays.
Now, one woman is trying to help them after she was changed forever by the storm.
It was a night of music, dancing, food and fun in Elizabeth, but before the people hit the dance floor, they joined in prayer for something they don't take for granted.
"We thank you for keeping a roof over our heads," one man said during a prayer.
In September of 2021, some of them were scrambling to find a new roof after the remnants of Ida ravaged the Oakwood Plaza Apartments. Severe flooding forced about 600 people from their homes at the affordable housing complex.
"I go to therapy now because of losing my home," Yvette Stephens said.
Stephens lost her furniture and priceless family keepsakes, like pictures of her late parents.
"To lose everything, you know, I'll be 60 years old. So everything I had in there was my life, so I have to basically start all over," Stephens said.
Stephens said she's grateful to enjoy the meal. She's also grateful that, after living in hotels for months, she has finally found a new apartment in Elizabeth.
"There's a lot of families that still need help out there," Hassanah Smith-Thomas said.
Smith-Thomas helped organize the dinner and has been helping families affected by Ida however she can.
"We still have a couple families that's still homeless, that still need a place to live," Smith-Thomas said.
She's motivated to help because that's what her cousin would have wanted. Shakia Garrett was one of four people killed by Ida at the Oakwood Plaza Apartments.
"I'm trying to make sure she didn't die in vain because she was a giver," Smith-Thomas said.
So give they did, with coats for kids, gift cards, and even an appearance from Santa Claus. They gave gift of a warm meal with the goal of warming hearts.
"We gonna try to do this every year and just, blessings for everybody," Smith-Thomas said.
Oakwood Plaza is now surrounded by fencing. No one lives there. Some former tenants are still waiting to see when or if they'll eventually be able to move back.