HURRICANE SANDY 6-MONTH UPDATE

HIGHLIGHTS OF ONGOING RECOVERY & REBUILDING PROJECTS

Rebuilding Projects

In response to the continuing need to repair homes damaged by Hurricane Sandy, the NYC Home Repair Consortium has been created to repair non-structurally damaged rental and owner-occupied properties that still have unmet needs. The Consortium is being funded by the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, American Red Cross and Robin Hood Relief Fund. It will be composed of a group of nonprofit organizations that will be selected to scale repair work and serve at least 600 properties.  To learn more about this program, to register for assistance, or to join the Consortium as a nonprofit construction organization, click here.

Related News:

• Mar 22 – Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City Dedicates $10 Million in Private Donations to Assist Homeowners In Need of Minor, Non-Structural Repairs

Nonprofit Recovery

New York City relies on nonprofits to provide a broad range of essential services to its diverse communities.  After Hurricane Sandy that need was more urgent, even as many nonprofits were struggling to recover from the storm themselves.  The Mayor’s Fund brought together philanthropic partners to launch a bridge loan program (totaling $26M), recently expanded to provide loan/grant matches and direct grants for tangible losses as well. Administered by the Fund for the City of New York, the program provides, on a rolling basis, assistance to organizations that suffered the most severe losses and/or operate in the worst affected areas.  Nonprofits seeking assistance can find more information here.

Related News:

• Nov 27 – Mayor Bloomberg Announces NYC Nonprofit Recovery Loan Program for Nonprofits Impacted by Hurricane Sandy
• Mar 26 - Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City Announces New Grants Available Through Nonprofit Recovery Loan Program For NYC Nonprofits Impacted by Hurricane Sandy

Small Business Support

Small businesses play an essential role in the recovery of neighborhoods hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy, including access to food, medication, and other essential daily living needs.  To support this recovery, the Mayor’s Fund partnered to launch a Small Business Matching Grant Program (administered by the New York Business Development Corporation) providing grants up to $10,000 to businesses that suffered the most severe losses and are receiving $25,000 loans through the City’s Emergency Loan Program, and a micro-grant program (administered by the New York City Business Assistance Corporation) for small businesses that may not be able to qualify for the City’s Emergency Loan Program to repair and replace items such as signage and awnings that were lost. Small Businesses seeking assistance can find more information here.

Related News:

• Nov 24 – Mayor Bloomberg Announces New $5.5 Million Matching Grant Program for Small Businesses Impacted by Hurricane Sandy 
• Jan 23 – NYC Department of Small Business Services Announces Small Business Grant Program For Businesses Impacted by Hurricane Sandy
• Feb 25 - NYC Small Business Services and Economic Development Corporation Announce More Than $1.5 Million in Matching Grants Distributed to Small Businesses

Mold Treatment

Homeowners and landlords with properties of all sizes are facing challenges with mold treatment.  While individuals can often use FEMA checks for this purpose, mold treatment and cleaning is often an area of concern and confusion.  The Mayor's Fund is supporting a coordinated effort led by Neighborhood Revitalization NYC (a project of Local Initiatives Support Corporation) to coordinate and help provide mold treatment to 2,000 homes, working with skilled contractors and nonprofit organizations to complete work in each borough in coordination with existing data and local elected officials.  This is jointly sponsored with the American Red Cross and the Robin Hood Foundation.  In addition, the Mayor's Fund is sponsoring free awareness and safe practice trainings regarding mold treatment, where mold supply kits will also be distributed at no cost. The trainings, offered by Hunter College/UMDNJ in conjunction with the NYC Department of Health, are taking place in neighborhoods most affected by the storm.  For more information about the mold treatment program, click here.  For a schedule of trainings, click here.

Related News:

• Jan 31 – Mayor Bloomberg Announces New Program To Address Water Damage And Mold In Neighborhoods Hardest Hit By Hurricane Sandy

Public School Students

Thousands of students were displaced or relocated from their schools as a result of the hurricane, and many were cut off from access to a computer or the internet. Both of these factors resulted in significant unanticipated learning gaps for students who live or attend schools in impacted areas.  The Department of Education, with support from the Mayor's Fund, is providing expanded counseling programs, mentoring, academic support and afterschool services at 39 schools where students were most impacted by the storm.

• Feb 26 – Chancellor Walcott and the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City Announce More than $2 Million in Grants to Schools Impacted by Hurricane Sandy 

Emergency Food Providers

The citywide the emergency food network, including soup kitchens and food pantries, have been overwhelmed with the influx of new clients since Hurricane Sandy.  Grants to Food Bank For New York City and City Harvest are complementing funds from the American Red Cross to provide approximately 4,000,000 meals over two months serving approximately 450,000 people and support the food delivery network over six months.  In addition, these programs supplement New York City’s Emergency Food Assistance Program, administered by the Human Resources Administration (HRA).

Related News

• Mar 20 – Deputy Mayor Gibbs and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City Announce New Grant Program for Emergency Food Providers in Areas Recovering From Hurricane Sandy

Homeowner Assistance

Many homeowners living in neighborhoods affected by Hurricane Sandy need sound guidance on how to rebuild both their homes and their finances as they face unprecedented loss and uncertainty. The Mayor’s Fund is sponsoring a network of housing counselors and legal service providers to give those homeowners access to expert help navigating the complex rebuilding and recovery process. The initiative is led by the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery Operations, and Center for New York City Neighborhoods. Homeowners seeking assistance can call 311 or click here.

Related News

• Dec 17 – Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and Goldman Sachs Gives Partner with HPD to Provide $1.4 Million for NYC Homeowners Affected by Hurricane Sandy 

Public Library Support

All three City library systems were impacted by the hurricane including hundreds of thousands of lost books, damaged critical equipment and several facilities that sustained major physical damage.  The Mayor’s Fund is supporting recovery efforts to the Queens Library (including five branches located in the Rockaways), the Brooklyn Public Library (including five branches), and the New York Public Library (including circulating resources from their Staten Island patron base).

Relief Service Projects

Volunteer efforts are a critical part of New York’s recovery efforts.  The Mayor’s Fund is purchasing supplies and other needs for NYC Service volunteer efforts, including the MLK Day of Service and weekend Sandy Service projects in coordination with NYC agencies.  Anyone wishing to volunteer on Sandy relief projects may sign up here.

Nonprofit and Citywide Coordinators

In order to maximize service coordination and coordination with the City, the Mayor’s Fund is supporting citywide coordinator positions and borough specific coordinators for City contracted nonprofit organizations working in support of hurricane relief (an additional grant was made by the Robin Hood Foundation for a coordinator at a fifth organization).  These efforts are in close partnership with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health & Human Services.

Immigrant Community Outreach

New York City's immigrant communities in hurricane-affected areas are faced with a unique set of challenges. The Mayor's Fund is sponsoring teams of outreach workers from community-based organizations working in the hardest-hit areas of the City to survey immigrant households about their needs, connect them with services for which they are eligible, and provide information on the City's plans for long-term disaster case management in these communities. This grant is administered by the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, working with the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies.

Related News:

• Jan 10 – Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Fatima Shama Announces Creation of Outreach Worker Teams to Assess Recovery Needs in Storm-Impacted Immigrant Communities 

Childcare Centers

The Administration for Children’s Services prioritized three childcare centers that were closed or partially opened in the Rockaways, Coney Island and Sheepshead Bay, and unable to apply for many FEMA grant opportunities.  Funds are helping to expedite heating repairs and provide supplies to furnish classrooms so that they can fully re-open and serve families in affected areas.

Nonprofit Legal Assistance

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Lawyers Alliance of New York revived its Disaster Relief initiative to represent and provide legal information to New York nonprofits both impacted by the storm and responding to the storm. The City and 311 have been referring nonprofits to LANY since the storm. LANY continues to provide assistance to nonprofits and assist with nonprofit legal questions relating to the Nonprofit Recovery Loan Program.  Nonprofits affected by Hurricane Sandy and wishing to obtain legal advice may contact LANY here.

HIGHLIGHTS OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROJECTS

The Mayor’s Fund was deeply involved in the City’s emergency response effort during the days and weeks following Hurricane Sandy.  Completed projects include:

	Hot Meals The Mayor’s Fund launched multiple partnerships to coordinate free hot food distribution in high need areas that resulted in the distribution of more than 330,000 free hot meals, including 26,500 Thanksgiving Day meals. New Yorkers seeking hot meals can visit any of the locations listed here. Case: Mayor's Fund President Megan Sheekey wrote about the partnership with the NYC Food Truck Association and Food Film Festival for the Huffington Post. Read about it here. Related News: Nov 6 – Mayor Bloomberg Announces New Hot food Service at City Relief Sites Through Partnership with Local Food Trucks  Nov 21 – Mayor Bloomberg Announces Coordination of Over 26,500 Thanksgiving Meals for New Yorkers in Areas Impacted by Hurricane Sandy
	Relief Supplies In coordination with the NYC Distribution Centers and our partners on the ground, the Mayor’s Fund purchased and distributed urgently needed supplies including body warmers, warm clothing, baby supplies (formula, diapers), and more. Additionally, in-kind donations were secured and directed to the highest need areas. Case: In the aftermath of the storm, volunteers and field staff reported that many elderly and homebound residents without power were running low on critical prescription drugs like insulin and heart medication. The Mayor's Fund teamed up with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), which was overseeing a large-scale canvass operation to check on residents and assess immediate needs. Canvassers ran up and down building stairs and to local pharmacies to fill residents' prescriptions, with the co-payment (or full cost of the drug, in some cases) covered entirely by the Mayor's Fund. Soon, DOHMH established a longer-term solution in partnership with local drug stores. Related News: Nov 12 – Walmart Donates to New York City’s Hurricane Relief Efforts  Nov 16 – Colgate-Palmolive Donates 100,000 Products to Hurricane Relief  Dec 4 – Tyson Foods Supports Relief Efforts With Over 100,000 Pounds of Food Donated In-Kind Dec 13 – Modell’s Donates to New York City’s Hurricane Relief Efforts  Dec 14 – Nike Supports New York City Relief Efforts with $1 Million In-Kind Donations View a partial list of in-kind supporters
	Groceries The Mayor’s Fund purchased and facilitated the donation of groceries including fresh produce and nonperishables, which were provided to residents through Distribution Centers in areas where grocery and convenience stores were shuttered after the storm.
	Debris Removal In order to quickly remove debris and litter soon after the storm, work crews were mobilized in targeted areas to enhance ongoing efforts of the Department of Sanitation. The Mayor’s Fund sponsored local clean-up teams from the Doe Fund and the Center for Employment Opportunities, two local non-profits that provide training and employment to underemployed New Yorkers.
	Transportation Services Beginning immediately following the storm, transportation was provided for residents in affected areas to emergency shelters and Distribution Centers, as well as to bring recovery volunteers to their dispatch locations.
	Daily Living Needs Recognizing that many residents living in tall buildings in affected areas lacked access to running water, NYC Community Recovery Directors informed the Mayor's Fund of the urgent need for showers and port-o-johns. The Fund paid for portable facilities to be placed in distribution centers, as well as shuttle transportation to make them accessible to residents.

 

ADDITIONAL CITY RESOURCES FOR NEW YORKERS

New York City residents affected by the Hurricane are encouraged to call 311 or visit NYC Recovery online. 

HOW OUR DONORS ARE HELPING

Here is a snapshot of what has been achieved thanks to the great support of our donors.

Support the Mayor's Fund
To support hurricane relief or other programs, click here. The Mayor's Fund retains no administrative fee, and one hundred percent of donations to hurricane relief are being dispersed for recovery efforts. Funds support immediate aid needs as well as long-term restoration.