Homeless NY teen up for science prize gets a house

Samantha said that she had worried for several months before the eviction, knowing that her mother was ailing and money was tight.

"I ordered a senior picture and I said, 'I don't know where to send it. I don't know what's going to happen. What if we move, what if we get evicted,' which we did," she said. "You're out in limbo. You're like, 'What's going to happen to my mail, what's going to happen to my college applications. Where are they all going to go?' It's scary."

In addition to the county housing, officials said the Marriott Corp. is donating "several thousand dollars" of furniture for the family to use. Others have offered to pay kennel fees for the family pit bull.

"It's unbelievable; the outpouring of help that we've had," said Leo Garvey. He made reference to a news conference also held Friday in Suffolk County announcing the latest winner of a Mega Millions lottery jackpot. "I feel richer than that $208 million winner."

Associated Press writer David B. Caruso and AP researcher Judith Ausbel in New York contributed to this report.