Even though Hurricane Sandy may seem so long ago, many communities are still recovering from all the damage done. One of the hardest hit areas in NYC is one of our favorite places to play in the summer: Coney Island in Brooklyn.

While the Parks Department says the beach will be ready to welcome swimmers and sunbathers come Memorial Day weekend, many other Coney Island attractions like the New York Aquarium are struggling to open for the season, and some iconic events like the annual Mermaid Parade may not happen at all without support from fans. We've got up-to-date info on what to expect when you visit Coney Island this summer, and how you can help the People's Playground bounce back.

As the mother of a son with special needs, we have our work cut out for us in many areas. While we’ve pretty much figured out the crazy NYC school system (at least for the moment) and explored a whole slew of extracurricular activities, there are still lots of things we need help with on a day-to-day basis.

Previously I profiled YAI NYC and NYC's Resources for Children with Special Needs, two wonderful nonprofit organizations that offer resources, advice and assistance for local special needs families. However, since many agencies have full caseloads and wait lists for in-demand services, it’s always a good idea to have a few more irons in the fire.

That's why I recently called AHRC New York City, an organization that has been serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their loved ones since 1950. I found out that AHRC has a special needs dental clinic located about 30 minutes from my house, which is a good hour less than we had been traveling for the last few years. But the dental clinic turned out to be just a glimpse of what AHRC has to offer.

AHRC states on its website that its goal is “to offer individuals with disabilities day to day living that is as rich, absorbing and worthwhile as possible, with an emphasis on helping individuals live up to their maximum potential in the community.” Based on what I’ve found out so far, that’s an understatement. Here are just a few of the unique events, services and resources AHRC provides to the NYC special needs community and their families.

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There are many stories people can tell to explain how they got where they are today or why they chose the path they did. If you ask me why I started this website, I could tell the story about how I made a New Year's resolution to start a blog and stay with it for one year. Or I could talk about how I felt like my job in advertising was taking me away from mothering too much. I could focus on my passion to curate all the amazing opportunities for kids in NYC that you couldn't find out about in other family publications. I've mentioned all of those things and more when interviewed or asked about the founding of Mommy Poppins, but there's one version of the story I've never told.

It's Mother's Day this weekend!  Head on over to the Mother’s Day Dinner at the Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center in Riverhead for a delicious meal, followed by time to enjoy the aquarium. At the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium: free admission for moms. Mother's Day At Old Westbury Gardens in Old Westbury is the perfect place to honor mom on her special day, as well as all women, who will receive a complimentary lavender plant. A Mother's Day All You Can Eat Pizza Party is taking place at United Skates of America in Seaford, where you can skate and enjoy unlimited pizza and soda.  Also on tap: St. Mary's Church Family Festival at St. Mary's Church in East Islip, and a Spring Fair at Harbes Family Farm & Vineyard in Mattituck.  As always, check out our events calendar every day for fun activities for the family! Long Island is home to many beautiful parks so please be sure to check out our articles on Suffolk County Parks and Nassau County Parks. Also be sure to check out our article on Great Bike Trails on Long Island.

I don’t like grocery shopping—it's one of my least favorite chores. I usually leave the supermarket feeling like I’ve spent too much money and questioning the quality of my purchases. While I've been slowly making the move to organic food, the prices at big-chain organic retailers can be dizzying plus I'd really like to shop locally. So I started looking into alternative options.

In the past, we've written about joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture groups), shopping at the city's greenmarkets and even growing your own indoor vegetable garden. But you can also consider joining a local food cooperative. There are a number of food coops in New York City (and not just the famous one in Park Slope, either). While currently all food coops are located in Manhattan and Brooklyn, there are efforts to start additional ones in other boroughs. We've got the scoop on how to find and join a NYC food coop, and how your family and your community can benefit.

Mother's Day is the big subject on all of our sites this week. In NYC, we've got Mother's Day brunch suggestions and fun family activities on Sunday and even a few ideas about how to celebrate the holiday without the kids. Since my mother and my mother-in-law live in the city and we always end up at their respective homes, I often forget that Mother's Day is about me, too. This year I'm going to make sure I enjoy myself—and I hope all you moms out there do the same!

We launched two great giveaways this week on the NYC site. First up, we're giving away 100 tickets to the massive New York Baby Show on Saturday, May 18-Sunday May 19 in Midtown West. Right now the odds are pretty good to win! And if you're planning on visiting Long Island's East End this summer, you'll want to check out our brand-new Hamptons and North Fork Family Guide and sign up for our soon-to-launch newsletter. If you subscribe to our Hamptons and North Fork newsletter before Tuesday, May 21, you'll automatically be entered to win one of a host of awesome local prizes, including gift certificates to Dockers Waterside and Studio Art, and tennis lessons at Sportime Quogue.

Here's what else we covered on our NYC site this week:

Happy Mother’s Day!

We’re all about Mother’s Day in Boston this week, with a full calendar of special events that kids and families can do together. With events like the One Family Music Festival on Sunday, plus the Watch City Festival, Lilac Sunday and the Duckling Day Parade, families can find plenty of things to do. Read on for weekend highlights, and see our Events Calendar for more events.

Our Mother’s Day weekend coverage continued this week with some ideas for Mother’s Day day trips. We also cover spring Farmers Markets and have rounded up a few great places to have your adventurous child's outdoor birthday party.

We also want to know: What’s your child’s favorite thing about Boston? Is it a diner in your neighborhood? The Frog Pond? How about the Boston Fire Museum? Email us a photo or drawing, and we’ll feature it in our slideshow at the One Family Music Festival this Sunday! Imagine your child’s face when she sees her drawing or photo up on the big screen! If you need some inspiration, check out our 100 Things to Do in Boston with Kids Before They Grow Up.

Enjoy!

You may have already realized this, but I’ll just come out and say it anyway: We want your family to be at the One Family Music Festival. Moms, we get that it’s Mother’s Day, we really do. But the music festival starts at noon, leaving plenty of time in the morning for brunch, whether it’s homemade or chef made. Plus, what better way to celebrate being a mom than to get together with other families, rock out with Boston’s best kids’ bands, reclaim the city for our kids, and do something good for the community?

This is your guide to the festival. There’s lots going on and free stuff galore, and we don’t want you to miss a thing. Read on for the who, what, when, where, and why of the One Family Music Festival.