b'Volunteers including many Ireland Fund Young Leaders came to the two Irish Days of Action to help clean up and begin to rebuild.ThereisnodoubtbutthatacrisisbringsoutthebestintheIrish.WesawthatwiththereactionoftheIrishamongthefirstrespondersduringthe9/11attacks.WesawitagainoverthepasttwomonthsastheIrishandIrishAmericancommunitiesrespondedimmediatelytothetragedyofHurricaneSandy.Thatresponsetookmanyformsrangingfromimmediateassistancewithclothesandfoodinthefirstdaystomorelong-termfinancialsupporttotheworstaffectedcommunitiesandnotjustinthetraditionalIrishneighborhoodsofBreezyPointandBelleHarbor.TwoIrish DaysofActionintheRockawaysbroughttogetheralltheIrishandIrishAmericanorganizationsinacommonefforttobringassistancetotheworstaffectedareas.LargefinancialcontributionsthroughTheAmericanIrelandFundandthe AmericanIrishHistoricalSocietyandawiderangeofsmallerdonationstothethreeIrishCentersareplayingaroleinhelpingaffectedcommunitiesrecover.TheIrishGovernmentscontributionof320,000isafurtherpartofthecombinedIrishefforttohelpthoseworstaffectedbyHurricaneSandy.-NoelKilkenny,IrelandsConsulGeneralofNewYorkconnect 2013 | 50'