DRAW, Madison school district teaming up to help Sandy victims - KMSP-TV

By Roop Raj
Fox 2 News Reporter

MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. (WJBK) -- Two weeks have passed and as our lives march on, the lives of some victims of Superstorm Sandy remain at a standstill.

Metro Detroiter Krystan Kreschmer just came back from the East Coast as part of the group called Disaster Relief at Work or DRAW.

"We were there for five days with people without power, so they're definitely looking for somewhere to stay, going to relatives' houses and then coming back to their house, even with just a little bit of running water to everything gone in their house," she said.

Meanwhile, the Madison District Public Schools are teaming up with DRAW to donate money to school kids in New Jersey.  At least one school is holding a penny drive.  National Honor Society students are also raising money and there are other fund raisers happening throughout the district.

"So many schools have been displaced.  They've had to go find alternate sites.  A lot of families don't have their homes anymore, so the things that we might take for granted are toothbrushes or hair brushes, basic clothes," said Superintendent Randy Speck. (pictured above)

He is hoping this story will inspire or perhaps even challenge other school districts throughout metro Detroit to also jump in and help.

"I encourage everybody to help out in any way they can so these people can find some normalcy before the Christmas holiday," said Greg Martin from Disaster Relief at Work.

DRAW is planning to travel back to the East Coast in just a few weeks.  If you would like to help pack buckets at their warehouse in Waterford, join them on the trip or perhaps your school would like to help out, you can contact them through their website at www.drawbuckets.org.