Chef Sandra Lee helps recovery effort

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NEW YORK, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Celebrity chef Sandra Lee prepared meals victims of Hurricane Sandy at the Bowery Mission in New York City on Sunday.

Along with preparing and serving meals Sunday, Lee, host of the Food Network show "Money-Saving Meals" and girlfriend of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, also delivered a $25,000 check from the holding company that owns Sears and Kmart, where her houseware line is sold, the New York Daily News reported.

Bowery Mission's cupboards are nearly empty as they are taking in more people than usual in the wake of the hurricane.

"We usually have 80 people living here," said development director James Winans. "This week we had three times that at nearly 250. And we've got to prepare for Thanksgiving, which is in just three weeks, when we feed 5,000 people throughout the city."

"I reached out to them and said, 'We have to do something here,'" said Lee. "They said, 'Just tell us what you need.'"

"Anyone who is able to pitch in and help, needs to," Lee said.