On Dec. 17, a fleet of 24 Habitat Mobile Response Units departed from Atlanta.

The vans were donated by Chevrolet and made their first stop in Charlotte where volunteers loaded them with an array of tools and equipment donated by Lowe's and the Robert Bosch Tool Corporation.

The next day, the caravan drove from North Carolina to New Jersey, where Sandy recovery efforts have been underway since shortly after the storm.

In the days after their arrival, the Mobile Response Units were put to work by Habitat volunteers like Jim Mellon as they worked in Union Beach, N.J., and Staten Island, N.Y.

Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford spoke with Staten Island homeowner William Johnson, whose home was severely damaged by floodwater during Hurricane Sandy.

In Union Beach, N.J., Habitat volunteers helped homeowner TamiLynn Willoughby inspect the damage to her home and begin repairs. “I feel so grateful that you’re here,” she said to the volunteers. “The bad came in, but the good is here, too.”

On Dec. 20, representatives from NBC's TODAY show — including Al Roker — worked alongside Union Beach homeowner Carlos Rodriguez.

The Mobile Response Units ultimately deployed to a dozen Habitat affiliates in the greater New York metropolitan area to help continue extensive clean-up and repair efforts.