Lindenhurst volunteer group wins $10,000 from Ikea to help Sandy victims

A volunteer group in Lindenhurst dedicated to helping superstorm Sandy victims has won $10,000 from Ikea.

Adopt A House was chosen as the winner of Ikea's fourth annual Life Improvement Co-worker Challenge. The money will be given as gift cards to Sandy victims to be used to remake children's rooms.

Run by Jennifer Mackie Aulino, Victoria Witchey Boye and Michele Insinga, Adopt A House is a nonprofit working to rebuild the community by bringing information and financial assistance to residents hit hardest by the storm.

For the contest, Ikea co-workers throughout the country nominated local nonprofits. More than 100 nominations were received and a committee from each store selected three organizations for workers and customers to vote for online.

Boye said the group was thrilled to be able to help children. "We've seen that Sandy took the biggest toll on the kids -- a lot of whom aren't even back in their homes yet -- who went through such emotional turmoil," she said.

The Lindenhurst school district reports that it is still busing eight children relocated by Sandy but that the number of displaced is likely much higher.

One family picked for some of the prize is the Scaturros. Eileen, 40, husband Craig, 43, and children Nicholas, 6, and Hailey, 4, are living in a trailer on their lawn while their home is being elevated. Eileen Scaturro said they had to throw their children's furniture out. She called Adopt A House "priceless" in helping residents.

SEE PHOTOSSandy's impact on Long Island

"They're our eyes and ears and make sure we know about everything that's available to us," Scaturro said, adding it would be eight months before the house is finished and the family can now go furniture shopping.