Drita D’Avanzo might be one feisty woman on television but off-screen she truly has a heart of gold! After seeing the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, specifically in her hometown of Staten Island, Drita knew something needed to be done.

“Can you believe what happened?,” Drita said immediately as we spoke. “I took it very personal. This is my neighborhood. This is where I grew up…my closest friend lost everything she had.”

Being a block away from the ocean, Drita said that she expected her house to be gone. Thankfully, Drita only lost power and was unable to get gas for her car.

To avoid the storm and what was thought to be a washed-away house, Drita weathered the storm at her parent’s house. Unlike those who are still without power, Drita’s parent’s were lucky enough to have their power restored soon after the storm.

“My parents power came on early. I honestly wish it didn’t because I got to watch the news,” Drita said. “I was crying every day all day because no one else was seeing the effects of the aftermath. I was watching it. I was trembling. It was so scary. It’s still so scary. It was scary and then when you see it in real life it’s even more scary.”

It was at that point she had an idea — she was going to help those in need. She might sometimes resent the fame that Mob Wives has brought her way, but Drita realized she could use it for a better cause.

Drita decided to host a fundraiser to help those that were affected by Hurricane Sandy.

“I do feel when people have [a charity], you give your money and you did your good deed but you don’t see what happened with it,” Drita said. “What I would love to do is film – and I’m not talking Mob Wives – I’m talking my own camera — take it to Costco and take everyone shopping with me. Say I get $10,000 — you see where your money is going and who you’re going to help.”

On Nov. 15, Drita is hosting an event at WIP in New York City from 7 p.m to 10 p.m. A $20 cover charge will be used to buy items needed by Hurricane Sandy victims.

Drita is reaching out to everyone and anyone who will help — longtime friends and family, promoters and those she’s met being involved in the business.

Some names she mentioned that will be there to help out are Mob Wives stars Big Ang and Carla Facciolo and Jersey Shore star Deena Cortese. You can definitely expect performances by Raquel Castro from The Voice, Mike John and Jerid Nowell.

Click here for more information.

Will you help Drita reach her goal of $10,000 for the victims of Hurricane Sandy, Hollywoodlifers?

– Reporting by Dory Larrabee, Written by Julianna Spence

More Mob Wives News:

1. ‘Mob Wives’ Star Karen Gravano: Protect Your Bank Account Even If You’re Not Married
2. Renee Graziano Filming Time In Rehab For ‘Mob Wives’
3. Renee Graziano: I Filed A Restraining Order Against My Ex Husband

Mob Wives star Karen Gravano doesn’t want you to make the same mistakes she did. The reality star and author of the book Mob Daughter has become besties with our girl Vikki Ziegler and author of The Pre-Marital Planner. Together they want all girls to learn that even if he doesn’t put a ring on it, you’ve still got to be smart about your finances!

Nobody likes a breakup, especially if you’ve moved in with the guy! But now you can get advice from ladies who have been there and done that.

— Chloe Melas

More Mob Wives News

1. ‘Mob Wives’ Star Renee Graziano: I Will Never Speak To My Ex-Husband EXCLUSIVE interview!
2. ‘Mob Wives’ Star Renee Graziano Wants To Join ‘Dancing With The Stars’
3. Renee Graziano: I Forgive My Ex-Husband For Betraying My Father

Renee Graziano wants her fans to see everything! The Mob Wives star has checked into rehab and HollywoodLife.com can confirm that Renee is being followed by reality TV cameras.

“She’s there with cameras,” a source tells us. “Renee is always really open about her life and she and her sister want to make the show as real as possible. She’s been through a lot in her past year and she just needs a mental break, she’ll be there for 30 minutes.”

We told you that Renee entered rehab and her rep released a statement to Page Six:

“Although Renee Graziano has been admitted to a rehabilitation center, it is not for any current drug or alcohol use of any kind. Her choice to enter rehab was made entirely on her own. She has made this decision for the betterment of her son AJ [Pagan]’s life, as well as to improve her physical, mental and spiritual health.”

– Chloe Melas

More Mob Wives News

1. ‘Mob Wives’ Star Renee Graziano: I Will Never Speak To My Ex-Husband EXCLUSIVE interview!
2. ‘Mob Wives’ Star Renee Graziano Wants To Join ‘Dancing With The Stars’
3. Renee Graziano: I Forgive My Ex-Husband For Betraying My Father

Renee Graziano wants absolutely nothing to do with Hector Pagan. The star of VH1′s hit reality show stopped by our HollywoodLife.com offices to set the record straight and let her fans know that she does not keep in touch with Hector. In fact, he wrote her hate mail from jail and she throws it away without opening it!

“I don’t read his letters anymore,” she says. “I’ve actually filed a restraining order against him so that he can’t contact me when he gets out of jail.”

We told you that her father Anthony Graziano, and other mob associates were to plead guilty to racketeering. All of this because Renee’s ex-husband Hector wore a wire and ratted on everyone!

“Actually this might sound a little cocky but I’m glad it’s playing out in national headlines,” Renee tells HollywoodLife.com. “Because people know this is real. You get a lot of remarks that this is staged. Listen, if I could get the government or anybody behind the scenes to get them to pinch 127 people and get my ex husband into a snitch we would be gazillionaires and everyone would want us!”

— Chloe Melas

More Mob Wives News

1. ‘Mob Wives’ Star Renee Graziano: I Will Never Speak To My Ex-Husband EXCLUSIVE interview!
2. ‘Mob Wives’ Star Renee Graziano Wants To Join ‘Dancing With The Stars’
3. Renee Graziano: I Forgive My Ex-Husband For Betraying My Father

Drita D’Avanzo loves the spotlight but not the drama that comes with it. The season two finale of Mob Wives ended with what appeared to be a truce between Drita and Karen Gravano. But did the constant fighting cause Drita to want to quit the franchise?

“I don’t know yet,” she tells us. “I didn’t decidde yet if I’m going to be on season three. But I can tell you I’ll be watching season three … It’s not as easy as everyone thinks to be on a reality show. I guess it’s something I would think about.”

Watch the interview right here to get the full scoop:

More Mob Wives News

1. ‘Mob Wives’ Star Renee Graziano: I Will Never Speak To My Ex-Husband EXCLUSIVE interview!
2. ‘Mob Wives’ Star Renee Graziano Wants To Join ‘Dancing With The Stars’
3. Renee Graziano: I Forgive My Ex-Husband For Betraying My Father

— Chloe Melas

The April 29 episode of Mob Wives is going to be full of shockers! HollywoodLife.com has an exclusive clip in which Karen Gravano talks about why she can’t stand Drita D’Avanzo. Should Renee Graziano stop asking Karen to be her friend?

— Chloe Melas

Rumors of Mob Wives‘ latest addition, Angela “Big Ang” Raoila, getting her own spin-off have been floating around the web for weeks – and now HollywoodLife.com can exclusively confirm that a show is happening! “It will start shooting in a few weeks to air in July,” Mob Wives creator Jennifer Graziano tells us.

“When I first brought Big Ang in, I wanted her for season one, but I felt like she was a little bit older than the other women,” Jennifer says. “She’s a friend of my older sister and my aunt. … We’ve known her since we were kids. We had that one major connection, and I thought, ‘Let me build my brand first, then save her as my secret weapon for season two,’ which I think worked out great.”

And Jennifer is sure Big Ang’s spin-off is going to be an instant addiction for Mob Wives fans.

“Everybody loves Big Ang,” she says. “She’s just so hysterically funny, so genuine, so real — it’s almost like you can’t believe what you’re seeing! This woman is so special and so crazy, and I knew that when I brought her on for season two.”

But don’t for a second think there’s bad blood between Ang and her fellow cast mates over her solo venture.

“God bless Big Ang!” Renee Graziano tells us. “I’m not a jealous person. She deserves it; let her do her!”

Watch Jennifer talk about Big Ang’s spin-off in the HollywoodLife.com studios below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

— Written by Andy Swift, Reporting by Chloe Melas

HollywoodLife.com spoke to Renee right before her father Anthony Graziano and the head of the Bonanno crime family headed to federal court to accept a plea deal and she says it just proves the ‘Mob Wives’ is real!

Renee Graziano‘s life hasn’t just been playing out on her VH1 reality show Mob Wives, it’s making national headlines. HollywoodLife.com had Renee in our NYC studios just hours before Vincent Badalamenti the head of the Bonanno crime family, her father Anthony Graziano, and other mob associates were to plead guilty to racketeering. All of this because Renee’s ex-husband Hector Pagan wore a wire and ratted on everyone!

“Actually this might sound a little cocky but I’m glad it’s playing out in national headlines,” Renee tells HollywoodLife.com. “Because people know this is real. You get a lot of remarks that this is staged. Listen, if I could get the government or anybody behind the scenes to get them to pinch 127 people and get my ex husband into a snitch we would be gazillionaires and everyone would want us!”

The recent episodes of Mob Wives show Renee learning her father is going to jail and then more recently that her ex-husband is responsible for ratting to the feds.

“From what I understand there are six men on the case and they all plead guilty on the case,” she says. “They’ve all taken a global plea which means you recognize it, you take it, there’s more time involved. The guidelines the feds go by is some point system which I don’t understand. What I do understand is you go on visits, you send money, and you love the person that is behind the wall. I don’t get involved in the legal stuff.”

Renee’s father Anthony is expected to get a sentence of three years, after having just served eight years for tax evasion, racketeering, and conspiracy to commit murder .

“No I’m not [going down to court],” she says. “Every time I’ve been to court there’s been too much attention. I don’t think it’d be good for the other familes. My father is fine with me and who I am, but the other families it’s not necessary.”

But Renee does want to reassure fans that this won’t affect the plot of Mob Wives season three.

“If everyone thinks this is all I have they are sadly mistaken,” she says. “That came, that blindsided all of us, no one was expecting that …this will not affect my story line and I have a lot more than Junior in my life.”

— Chloe Melas

More Mob Wives News

1. ‘Mob Wives’ Star Renee Graziano: I Will Never Speak To My Ex-Husband EXCLUSIVE interview!
2. ‘Mob Wives’ Star Renee Graziano Wants To Join ‘Dancing With The Stars’
3. Renee Graziano: I Forgive My Ex-Husband For Betraying My Father