By Thomas Wiedmann and David Karas, Correspondents, and Jennifer Mauro, Managing Editor

On the morning of Aug. 13, more than 100 residents of the Greenbriar I adult community in Brick found themselves being evacuated as nearly 8 inches of rain led to flash flooding. As the residents returned in the days that followed, their furniture, clothes and lifelong possessions that were once nestled comfortably inside their homes, were soaked and piled into large black contractor bags amongst piles of rubble on their front lawns.

Left in a state of upheaval and without flood insurance, some seniors have help from friends and family as well as local volunteers to rip up floors, knock down walls and get rid of anything wet. Others are not ready for help, still in a state of shock.

Photo Gallery:  Greenbriar Flooding

With no help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in site, a host of individuals and organizations have blanketed the neighborhood with support – including volunteers, faith and church communities, local businesses and the Greenbriar association.

Among those currently on scene to help is Seeds of Service, the nonprofit located on the grounds of Visitation Parish, Brick. Donations are being sought for various items – like water, contractor bags, boxes, plastic containers and dust masks – as well as funding to help provide temporary housing for affected seniors.

Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton has lent a helping hand through their parish services branch. Officials there partnered with SOS to assist a senior couple left homeless by the flooding. The couple was provided with enough funds – approximately $1,000 to date – to place them in a local motel for at least two weeks.

The CCDOT’s Fix-It Program – which helps senior citizens with home repairs across Ocean County – is also standing by to provide assistance.

And Epiphany Parish, Brick, took up a collection during its recent Italian Festival to present to Greenbriar.

Many are also thinking ahead to future needs – key among them being the need for furniture and other household goods.

In addition to helping gather supplies, Dee DeTuro, president of the St. Vincent de Paul conference in Visitation Parish, said Vincentian volunteers have been working with residents who need alternative housing.

“They are going to stay there for the long haul,” said DeTuro. “A lot of these adults don’t have much – they live Social Security check to Social Security check.”

DeTuro noted that Vincent’s Legacy – a diocesan-wide ministry that works to collect donated items and provide furniture and household goods to needy families – would be engaged to assist flood victims once they are able to return to their homes.

“That will at least give them a start back into their household,” she said.

In their own words, residents, families and volunteers talk Aug. 17 about the devastation:

With his collared dress shirt soaked in sweat, Joseph Shannon tried to make sense of the devastation as well as where he’ll go from here. “It’s not bad during the day – it’s trying to sleep at night. All you’re thinking about is, ‘What do I have to do tomorrow?’”

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The roar of industrial fans drying moisture echoed inside Judith McQuaide’s house as she reflected on the flooding. “I have no flood insurance. You can go up and down this street and everyone will tell you the same thing.”

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Tears came to Holly Basile’s eyes as she recounted memories of losing her father roughly 20 years to the day of the storm. Plus, Basile’s mother, Peggy Smith, spent the night of Aug. 13 in the hospital after suffering what her family called a mini-stroke. A recovering Smith returned to her flood-damaged home in the following days.

“I’m Catholic, but I don’t care if we’ve got Lutherans or Baptists working – we’ve got everyone working together. I’m upset inside [about the devastation], but I’m overwhelmed with joy for these people helping out,” said Smith, a member of St. Martha Parish, Point Pleasant. “I don’t know what the people here, and myself, would do without the people out here who are working so hard.  They’re wonderful.”

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On a hot and grueling humid day, Sal Russo walked along his property, which was covered in boxes of his belongings. He flipped through a photo album lying on his car, which was parked across the street from neighbor Peggy Smith’s U-Haul.

“I’m exhausted. I’m 75 years old,” he said. “This is a change – it’s the little things that bother me like ‘Where’s my chair?’ ‘Where’s my coffee?’ This is a terrible thing to be put through.”

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Linda Russo, 74, chatted on her front porch with volunteers, recounting the day of the flood. “It was pouring rain, and I went to the window. The water was getting higher and higher. When it rose past the curb, I said, ‘Something’s going on here.’ … Nobody should go through anything like this.”

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After making sure seniors had lunch and something cold to drink, Seeds of Service staffers Ruth Murphy and Lidia Kelly joined Denise Gratzel and others around a lunch table in the community clubhouse.

“It takes partners. We can’t do it alone,” said Denise Gratzel of First Baptist Church in Manasquan, who was wearing a “Rebuilding, Restoring, Renewing” shirt. “The Baptists, the Catholics, the Methodists, the Lutherans … we all have to pull together. Oftentimes, the churches are the first one on the ground.”

“Do the people know what you’re doing?” asked resident Linda Russo.

“YOU know,” Gratzel said. “And God knows. All we want to do is serve the Lord, be the hands and feet. Nobody else needs to know.”