11-Year-Old Girl Raises Money for Red Cross With Pop-Up Internet Café


Philly managed to, largely, escape the wrath of Hurricane Sandy with minimal damage and only a day or two of cancellations and issues. In New York City and the surrounding areas, though, people are still just managing to make it out of their apartments. Buildings are flooded, the power is out in many places, and public transportation is basically non-existent. In Hoboken, New Jersey, one 11-year-old girl set out to make a difference by providing people with some juice for their iPhones. Lucy Walkowiak established a pop-up Internet café on one of the only blocks with power. With the help of her father, Steve, Lucy has helped dozens of people get back on the grid, if only for a hot second.

People are donating money to the Red Cross and coffee to the impromptu baristas working the portable tables. Steve says that he’s only heard of one or two other instances of people having power in Hoboken and was quick to give his daughter credit for the café. “Lucy does a lot of community service through her school, so this is on par with what she’s been learning,” he said. Lucy and her dad definitely win the Internet for Wednesday.

Photos via Jon Bradley.