Nearly seven months after Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc along New York City’s shoreline, there is stil much rebuilding to be done, especially in the Rockaways. Though many damaged homes have been rebuilt, and A train service returns to the peninsula next week, mold caused by flooding after the storm still poses a health risk to the community.
To that end, this is Repair the Rockaways, a social game that allows players to donate money in exchange for bricks, which can be used to build houses in an online facsimile of the beachfront community, as well as to earn points and unlock in-game badges. Each dollar spent in-game goes directly to Respond and Rebuild, a local organization that’s become known for fast, friendly, and no-bullshit volunteer work in Sandy-damaged areas. The more that’s done to repair the Rockaways in the game, the more that will be done in real life.
Mother, ANIMAL’s parent company, created the game, with help from Everyone and Company, Casserole Labs, and Juan Pablo Buritica, Respond and Rebuild, and us. Read some of ANIMAL’s coverage of the Rockaways after the storm here.
