From
her apartment balcony, Liz Nachman saw Superstorm Sandy's fury decimate the
City by the Sea.
The
immense damage from the 2012 storm left her asking what the
next step was. Her son, Geoffrey Noss, came up with a game plan through a
rallying slogan – “Rebuild the Beach.”
“He's
like, ‘Mom, I want to make T-shirts to raise money for the school district,'”
she told News 12.
Nachman
admits she was skeptical at first, but the slogan "Rebuild the Beach"
apparently spoke to many residents on the barrier island trying to pick up the
pieces.
Within
days, Nachman says there were 100 orders placed for tank tops and sweatshirts.
She then immersed herself into “Rebuild the Beach” apparel. She racked up more
than $30,000 in sales within the first few weeks.
Nachman
began donating the money to the Long Beach School District in November 2012.
“We
were buying gift cards and giving them to the school's social workers,” she
said. Those cards were then dispersed to people in need.
Ten
years later, Nachman is still at it. A portion of her T-shirt sales go to
causes close to her heart, including scholarships for Long Beach High School
students.
Ilene
Ratner, the district’s technology secretary, said it had a “big impact.”
“The
monetary value bought books for the students for their secondary
education,” she said.
Nachman
also donates to the Long Beach Kiwanis Club. Its secretary says she’s raised
money for school supplies, coat drives, food drives and to send kids to local
summer camps.
“That's
the best part, we're helping people,” said Nachman.