Hurricane Sandy left in its wake battered buildings and broken dreams. The people affected by the fury of the storm are still putting their lives back together one step at a time. Essentials like food, water, shelter and clothing have to come first. Non-essential items are not even given a backwards glance so the senior class of one Queens neighborhood never expected to be celebrating prom. Thanks to an army of volunteers, this is one dream that didn’t have to be discarded.

The Channel View School for Research in the Rockaway neighborhood of Queens in New York City was hard hit when Sandy swept through, losing power and being flooded like many other buildings in the area. The students were forced to attend classes at alternate lo0cations for months while repairs were done. Every spare penny was being used for restoration with little hope of funds being set aside for a prom.

That’s when Operation Prom stepped in. Operation Prom is a charity that helps students realize one of the most looked-forward-to events of their young lives when circumstances, such as a natural disaster make the cost prohibitive.

The organization raised more than $11,000 for dresses, tuxedos and the prom itself. Men’s Warehouse chipped in with some of the expenses, too.

Instead of quietly finishing out their senior year and stepping into the next phase of life without a prom, these charitable volunteers gave a graduating glass the memories of a lifetime. They were able to celebrate with friends and have the experience that their peers across the country were having. This group of seniors shares the start of a bright future that even a hurricane couldn’t blow away.