FEMA, Agencies And Nonprofit Organizations Offering Assistance
As the northeast United States continues to clean up after Hurricane Sandy battered the coastline last weekend, a number of relief efforts are underway.
FEMA
President Barack Obama’s declaration of New York State as a federal disaster area has made a variety of programs available for residents and businesses affected by Sandy.
– For residents whose homes are currently not inhabitable, FEMA can provide rental payments for temporary housing. Homeowners can receive three months’ assistance, while renters can receive at least one month’s assistance. The payments may be extended if requested after the initial period.
– Grants are available for home repairs and the purchase of essential household items in order to make damaged homes safe and sanitary.
– A FEMA grant program can also help replace personal property and help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster related needs not covered by insurance or other federal, state and charitable aid programs.
– Workers who have temporarily lost their jobs due to the diaster and who do not qualify for state benefits may receive up to 26 weeks in unemployment payments under a FEMA program.
– Other losses to homes and businesses not covered by insurance can be covered via a low-cost loan program. Up to $200,000 in loans will be available for homes and $40,000 for personal property, including renter losses. Up to $2 million for business property losses will be available.
– Small businesses who are suffering from disaster-related cash flow problems can take out loans of up to $2 million from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
– Loans of up to $500,000 for farmers, ranchers and aquaculture operators to cover production and property losses are available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
– Other relief programs include crisis counseling for those traumatized by the disaster; income tax assistance for filing casualty losses; help applying for veterans’ benefits and other matters.
Assistance will also be given directly to the state and local governments, including financial assistance for mitigation projects designed to reduce the risk from future disasters.
To begin the process of applying for any of these programs, register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or at m.fema.gov, or call 1-800-621- FEMA (3362). Disaster assistance applicants who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
All the numbers are toll-free and are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Sunday until further notice.
Applicants registering for aid should be prepared to provide basic information about themselves (name, permanent address, phone number), insurance coverage and any other information to help substantiate losses.
FEMA representatives will also be reaching out to the area with briefings and appearances throughout the city.
Queens Borough President Helen Marshall announced on Thursday, Nov. 1 that FEMA has opened a disaster recovery center at Hillcrest High School, located at 160-05 Highland Ave. in Hillcrest. The office will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.
American Red Cross
According to a press release from the American Red Cross, over 300 blood drives across the area scheduled prior to and during the superstorm were cancelled, resulting in a shortfall of blood
“Nearly 11,000 people spent Monday night in more than 250 Red Cross shelters across 16 states including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Indiana, and Michigan,” the agency stated. “These numbers could increase as the storm moves into cities like Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee with heavy wind, rain and snow.”
Over 1,700 disaster workers from all over the country have served over 25,000 meals and snacks to residents, and over 167 emergency response vehicles are being used.
“This is a huge disaster, bigger than any one organization can handle and the Red Cross is working closely with multiple partners including a variety of civic groups, advocacy organizations, professional organizations and houses of worship to share their expertise and volunteers,” the agency said.
In New York, the Red Cross is seeking volunteers to work in its shelters. Shelters in the Times Newsweekly’s coverage area include I. S. 383 at 1300 Greene Ave. in Bushwick, Grover Cleveland H.S. at 21-27 Himrod St. in Ridgewood, P.S. 175 at 64-35 102nd St. in Rego Park, P.S. 166 at 33-09 35th Ave. in Long Island City; and P.S. 19 at 98-02 Roosevelt Ave. in Corona. For more information, visit the Greater New York American Red Cross website at https://www.nyredcross.org.
To find a Red Cross shelter outside of our coverage area, call 1-800- RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Regionwide efforts
– The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) is running helplines at 1-888-769-7243 and 1- 518-485-1159.
– The Salvation Army is has been appointed as the lead agency for New York City’s Food Access Plan, to coordinate feeding at city shelters.
Currently, in-kind donations, such as used clothing and used furniture, are not being accepted for hurricane relief. However, financial donations are being accepted; call 1-800-SALARMY (1-800-725-2769) or text the word STORM to 80888, and confirm with the word, “yes” for an immediate donation.
For the latest updates, visit the Salvation Army Disaster Services blog at www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org.
– New York Cares is looking for volunteers to help with disaster recovery projects. Those wishing to do- nate their time can volunteer through www.newyorkcares.org. A list of projects was not available as of press time but the website will be updated as opportunities arise.
– Public Advocate Bill de Blasio is creating an online database of residents wishing to volunteer with cleanup efforts throughout the city. Visit https://bit.ly/UeoYpq to sign up.
– City Hall is also looking for volunteers. Interested residents should email nycservice@cityhall.nyc.gov.
– The Humane Society’s Animal Rescue Team is assisting both animals and people in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. To make an emergency donation, visit https://www.humanesociety.org.
– The New York Blood Center is also continuing to collect donations of blood throughout the area.
“While deliveries to hospitals have continued without interruption, the blood supply has weakened considerably due to the forced cancellation of all blood drives on Oct. 29 and 30,” the agency stated on Wednesday, Oct. 31.
However, the agency later stated that it is opening additional donor centers and scheduling more drives to make up for the shortfall.
Residents should call 1-800-933- 2566 or visit www.nybloodcenter.org/blood for updated information to donate blood or www.nybloodcenter.org/platelet for current locations to donate platelets.
– New York Tech Meetup members are volunteering to help small businesses and others with Sandy-related tech challenges.
To request assistance, go to https://bit.ly/PHljEV. Questions can be directed to jessica@nytm.org.
– The Food Bank For New York City was forced to evacuate its administrative office and suffered a flood at its Hunts Point warehouse, but is continuing to supply food to area pantries and soup kitchens.
“Preparing for disasters carry an expense that far too many New Yorkers simply cannot afford. As the days continue with schools being closed, many parents are counting the meals missed by their children’s participation in free and reduced breakfast and lunch programs,” said Margarette Purvis, president and CEO of The Food Bank For New York City, in a statement posted online.
For information on how to volunteer or donate, visit https://www.foodbanknyc.org.
– The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has established a 24-hour hotline for residents who evacuated by may have left their pets behind. Calling 1-347-573-1561 will connect residents to the NYC Animal Planning Task Force liaison on duty at the ASPCA operations center.
– Catholic Charities is directing residents who need assistance to its Help Line at 1-888-744-7900. In addition, New Yorkers wishing to donate can text “CCHOPE” to 85944 to make a one-time $10 donation.
– Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn announced that a second collection will be taken up by local parishes to assist those in need.
– NECHAMA (Jewish Response To Disaster) is also planning recovery efforts in the region, with staff from the nonprofit arriving in the tristate area on Wednesday to assess needs.
To sign up to volunteer, or to donate, visit www.nechama.org.
– ICNA Relief USA, an Islamicbased relief program based in Jamaica, has established a $100,000 disaster response fund for families impacted by Sandy. Points of distribution are reportedly being set up in cooperation with local Islamic centers. Visit www.icnarelief.org for more information.
In Queens
– The Forest Hills Community & Civic Association is sponsoring a food drive with the office of Assemblyman Mike Miller. Goods can be dropped off at Miller’s district office at 83-91 Woodhaven Blvd.
Miller’s office also announced that donations are being accepted at several other locations in Queens:
– State Sen. Joseph Addabbo’s office at 66-85 73rd Pl. in Middle Village;
– Excalibur Reading Program at 80-17 78th Ave. in Glendale;
– Cook’s Crafts, at 80-09 Myrtle Ave. in Glendale;
– American Legion Post 1404, at 209 Cross Bay Blvd. in Broad Channel;
– 113th Street and Rockaway Blvd. in Rockaway; and
– 156th Avenue and Cross Bay Boulevard in Howard Beach.
– The Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association is also organizing a relief effort. Bring clothing, nonperishable food items, pet food items and can openers to their offices at 84- 20 Jamaica Ave. Call 1-718-296- 3735 for more information.
– The office of City Council Member Elizabeth Crowley is organizing a supply drive with The Shops at Atlas Park in Glendale. Donations can be dropped off through Sunday, Nov. 4. at 80-00 Cooper Ave. (the former locations of Borders). Call 1- 718-366-3900 more information.
For businesses
The city Department of Small Business Services (SBS) and the city Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) is coordinating a set of services to assist small businesses in recovering from Hurricane Sandy.
For small- to mid-sized businesses that have experienced business interruption, emergency loans will be available. Loans will be capped at $10,000. Call 311 and ask for NYC Business Emergency Loan.
For mid- to large-sized businesses who need to rebuild their facilities, an emergency sales tax letter from the New York City Industrial Development Authority (IDA) will be available allowing businesses to avoid payment of city and state sales taxes on materials purchased for rebuilding. The IDA will also waive all fees and, while following state law, look to streamline its procedures.
This program is expected to offer economic benefits to reconstruction projects costing $500,000 or more.
Business wishing to utilize this program should contact Shin Mitsugi at smitsugi@nycedc.com for more information.
For any business that is temporarily displaced, short-term “swing” office space at Brooklyn Army Terminal will be available free of charge for the next 30 days. Call 311 and ask for NYC Business Solutions.
For any business in need of other emergency assistance, the SBS Business Outreach Team and Emergency Response Unit’s Large Scale Response Team will be deployed after the storm to help all impacted small businesses. The team is on-call for any storm-related business inquiries and is closely coordinating with the NYC Office of Emergency Management. Call 311 for more information.
