County to Receive Red Cross Grant for Sandy Recovery

COURT HOUSE — The American Red Cross awarded a $338,000 grant to the Cape May County Long Term Recovery Group to address the needs of residents who do not have adequate resources to recover. The Red Cross grant will be used to help return approximately 60 Cape May residents to safe and habitable homes that were impacted by Superstorm Sandy.
“Sandy recovery in New Jersey is far from over and the Red Cross is committed to helping our impacted communities come back stronger and more resilient against future storms,” said Nancy Orlando, regional CEO, American Red Cross South Jersey Region. “By partnering with the Cape May County Long Term Recovery Group, we will continue to support Sandy survivors until all those affected recover.”
The Cape May County Long Term Recovery Group (LTRG) is a consortium of community agency partners, with over 20 private nonprofits and faith based organizations that are united to assist Sandy survivors in Cape May County, with a priority focus on vulnerable residents. With its $338,000 Red Cross grant, the Cape May County LTRG will identify unmet needs, properly ascertain available personal resources, and create a recovery plan that maximizes local, volunteer and grantor resources to rebuild homes and lives.
“Thanks to the generous support of the Red Cross, we are able to restore safe housing for so many families and individuals across Cape May County, especially in the hardest hit areas of Ocean City and Wildwood,” said Barry Keefe chairperson of the Cape May County Long Term Recovery Group.
Donations to the Red Cross after Superstorm Sandy have led to clear signs of progress and hope throughout New Jersey nearly a year after the storm. In addition to the grant announced today, the Red Cross has partnered with numerous organizations to support the recovery of New Jersey families and communities affected by Sandy, including the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), Operation Hope, the Points of Light Foundation, Habitat for Humanity International, the Greater New Jersey United Methodist Church, Rebuilding Together, Lutheran Disaster Response, Catholic Charities USA, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, World Renew, NECHAMA Jewish Response to Disaster, the Volunteer Center of Bergen County, the Greater Bergen Community Action, Inc., Atlantic City Long Term Recovery Group, Atlantic County Long Term Recovery Group, Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group and Monmouth County Long Term Recovery Group. The Sandy recovery efforts include housing assistance, case management, mental health services, volunteer coordination and construction services. Additional New Jersey community grants will be announced in the weeks ahead.
The Red Cross has received $308 million in donations for its Sandy emergency relief and recovery efforts, and has spent or committed $272 million—nearly 90 percent of the donated funds – as of August 31. More information on the Red Cross Sandy relief and recovery efforts can be found at www.redcross.org/sandy-response.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
About the Cape May County Long Term Recovery Group:
The Cape May County Long Term Recovery Group (CMC LTRG) will provide coordinated management of the long-term recovery to residents and provide additional long-term assistance to individuals affected by the disaster who do not have adequate personal resources for basic needs as a result of the disaster. The mission of the CMC LTRG is to address the unmet needs of those without the resources to rebuild their homes and their lives, most especially the frail elderly, children, the handicapped and the economically disadvantaged.