Thousands of people marched across the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Superstorm Sandy.

The devastating storm struck the region on Oct. 29, 2012. Marchers on Saturday honored those who lost everything, like Annie Willis, whose family home in the Rockaways was destroyed.

"We lost everything, from clothes, photos, everything -- and the hardest challenge after Sandy was battling mentally. I still have flashbacks," she says.

Five years later, Willis says she's one of many New Yorkers still waiting for their homes to be repaired. It's something that community organizations want to see officials address.

Participants marched to Manhattan's lower east side, calling on elected leaders to protect communities that are vulnerable to flooding.

Many groups that took part in the event are also seeking investment in renewable energy sources, actions that they say could help stem the tide of a changing climate.