Richard Drew / AP

Damaged photos belonging to Florence Catania, of Deer Park, N.Y., are evaluated during restoration by Operation Photo Rescue-Hurricane Sandy at New York's School of Visual Arts. on Feb. 2.

Richard Drew / AP

Photo restorer Dennis McKeever uses Photoshop to retouch a damaged photo belonging to Florence Catania of Deer Park, N.Y., on Feb. 2, during the restoration project of Operation Photo Rescue-Hurricane Sandy, at New York's School of Visual Arts.

Richard Drew / AP

Florence Catania, of Deer Park, N.Y., watches as her damaged photos are accepted for restoration on Feb. 2.

The AP reports: Of all the images of Superstorm Sandy's destruction, the ones that linger for Florence Catania are the torn, stained pictures that hung on her walls.

Her mother's decades-old wedding portrait, her own eighth-grade graduation photo, a snapshot that captured her mom on a carefree teenage day, all damaged in a Sandy-sparked fire at Catania's home in suburban Deer Park, N.Y.

But volunteers scattered around the world are about to start digitally mending Catania's personal photos and others battered by Sandy, banding together online to restore items that can't be rebought.

Founded after Hurricane Katrina, a nonprofit network of photographers, graphic artists and hobbyists has repaired more than 9,000 pictures discolored by floods, pockmarked by debris, speckled by mold and otherwise damaged by disasters in recent years. The Sandy project, which started this weekend, promises to be one of Operation Photo Rescue's most expert efforts yet.

Richard Drew / AP

Damaged photos belonging to Florence Catania, of Deer Park, N.Y., are evaluated during restoration.

Related content:

PhotoBlog: Rebuilding lives after Sandy, one photo at a time

Slideshow: Recovering after Sandy

Follow @NBCNewsPictures

Wayne Parry / AP

Piles of debris line portions of Route 35, the main highway through the shore in Toms River N.J. Friday, Jan. 4, 2012. Congress voted to approve aid for victims of Superstorm Sandy, but many shore residents were angry it took lawmakers so long to act following the Oct. 29 storm.

Reported by Tom Curry, NBC News national affairs writer

Responding to the insurance claims of property owners hit by last October’s superstorm Sandy, Congress voted Friday to approve $9.7 billion in additional borrowing authority for the National Flood Insurance Program, which covers property owners in flood-prone areas.

Elected officials in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut had assailed House Speaker John Boehner for not allowing a vote Tuesday night on additional funding for people affected by last October’s storm. Friday’s vote was a prelude to another vote on Jan. 15 to make additional outlays to cities, towns and property owners affected by the storm.

Follow @NBCNewsPictures

Sign up for the NBCNews.com Photos Newsletter

All images by Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Alex Marin practices parkour, a sport that embraces the urban landscape as an obstacle course, on the remains of the boardwalk at Rockaway Beach in New York City on Dec. 13, 2012.

Spencer Platt, Getty Images — Much of the Rockaway neighborhood is still suffering from Hurricane Sandy which caused extensive damage to parts of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Thousands of Rockaway residents and business owners are still unable to return to their properties while electricity remains sporadic in many neighborhoods.

See more images related to parkour on PhotoBlog

Alex Marin practices parkour on the remains of the boardwalk at Rockaway Beach in New York City, Dec. 13.

Alex Marin, right, and Bryant Blackshear practice parkour on the remains of the boardwalk at Rockaway Beach in New York City, Dec. 13.

Follow @NBCNewsPictures

•Sign up for the NBCNews.com Photos Newsletter

Lucas Jackson / Reuters

Lucas Jackson / Reuters

Locally hired contractors work to clean sand, deposited by the storm surge of Superstorm Sandy, out of a pool in the Rockaways section of Queens, New York City on Nov. 27.

Reuters reports, New York state and New Jersey need at least $71.3 billion to recover from the devastation wrought by superstorm Sandy and prevent similar damage from future storms, according to their latest estimates.

• New York to hire 5,000 temp workers for Sandy cleanup
• New York, New Jersey put $71 billion price tag on Sandy
• See more PhotoBlogs from Sandy coverage
• Follow @NBCNewsPictures on Twitter

Slideshow: Recovering after Sandy

Mario Tama / Getty Images

Residents of the Northeast are still picking up the pieces after Superstorm Sandy.

Launch slideshow