SWEENEY TO CONDUCT ‘SANDY BILL OF RIGHTS’ TOUR

Will Bring Attention To Those Still Needing Help 15 Months Later

TRENTON – Promising to bring greater attention to the victims of Superstorm Sandy and their needs, Senate President Steve Sweeney today announced that he will launch a “Sandy Bill of Rights” tour. This tour will consist of stops to some of the hardest hit areas of the state, including Perth Amboy, Toms River and Moonachie.

“There are still too many people who have yet to fully recover from the devastation of Sandy,” said Sweeney. “By allowing them to tell their stories, we highlight why a ‘Sandy Bill of Rights’ is necessary. As we will see, people have been denied aid for no reason, or have no idea where they stand on a waiting list. That is unacceptable and must change.”

Senate President Sweeney will first stop in Perth Amboy on February 19th, followed by Toms River on February 21st and Moonachie on February 22nd. The exact locations and times will be announced in the coming days. Stops will include stories from those impacted as well as visits to hard hit locations.

Last week, the Senate President introduced his “Sandy Bill of Rights’ legislation. The bill would do several things, including requiring a plain language explanation of what is needed to be eligible and to apply for Sandy recovery programs; the right to know where your relief application stands and what additional information is needed; the right to know why your application was rejected or why you were placed on a waiting list and the right to appeal a denial of funding.

Recent media accounts and advocacy groups have reported various problems in the Sandy aid process. For example, some families were being told they would lose their aid for failure to provide certain documents, while others were given no such ultimatum. In other instances, numbers show that funding has been denied at higher rates for African American and Latino residents despite being equally hard hit by the storm.

A *significant number* of victims told *a series of legislative committees* that a state contractor responsible for getting people back in their homes had repeatedly lost their applications and often couldn’t answer the most basic of questions. The Christie administration quietly cancelled the contract with this firm, and state officials have said little about how they will proceed with this critical task.

Join Governor Chris Christie Tomorrow in Stafford Township (Ocean County)

 Wednesday, January 8, 2014

OCEAN COUNTY

 WHO:               Governor Chris Christie

 WHAT:             Sandy Housing Recovery Milestone Announcement with Homeowners

 WHERE:           Stafford Township Volunteer Fire Company #1, 133 Stafford Avenue, Manahawkin, NJ

Invites you to attend our General Public Meeting to Kick Off the New Year!

Come Meet Our New Director, Sue Marticek

Join Us In Discussion On Moving Forward Together

Collectively We Can Truly Help Make 2014 A Happy New Year For Our Friends, Family & Neighbors of Ocean County Still Recovering From Superstorm Sandy

January 9th at 10:00 am

Toms River Elks,   600 Washington Street,  Toms River, NJ

OCLTRG is Growing and Hiring!

Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group is currently recruiting for a Construction Manager/Appraiser (FT) and a Construction Assistant (FT).  If you or someone you know has experience in the construction industry and also has a desire to be a part of Ocean County’s recovery from Superstorm Sandy consider joining our team.

Construction Manager/Appraiser – responsible for overseeing repair/rebuild of client homes, within code and scope of LTRG guidelines.  Duties include inspections, appraisals, estimates of labor and materials; cultivate donor relationships; and manage volunteers, contractors and inspectors to complete projects within budget and time frame requirements.  Minimum of 5 years in general construction; knowledge of plumbing, electrical and HVAC; experience supervising construction projects to ensure compliance with building codes and safe, quality workmanship.

Construction Assistant – responsible for assisting construction manager with repair/rebuild of disaster affected homes, within code and LTRG guidelines.  Duties include inspections, appraisals, estimates of labor and materials, coordination with volunteer labor, reports, and ordering and managing site and project materials.  Minimum of 3 years in general construction, knowledge in plumbing, electric and HVAC, and basic knowledge of UCC and ICC building codes.

OCLTRG Welcomes Susan Marticek, Project Director and Congratulates Bridget Holmes on Her Appointment as Assistant Project Director/Case Management.

We are delighted to announce the appointments of two key staff that will lead OCLTRG’s Superstorm Sandy recovery efforts in Ocean County.  Susan Marticek of Bayville has been appointed Project Director and Bridget Holmes of Brick has been appointed Assistant Project Director/Case Management.

Susan has worked in the field of Emergency/Disaster Management for over 13 years and many of us know her as Ocean County’s FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaison charged with the responsibility of helping our county to create a Long Term Recovery Group uniting recovery resources with community and household needs.  She previously held posts at the American Red Cross and worked as a FEMA Volunteer Agency Liaison in New Jersey for Hurricane Irene.  Susan holds a Master of Public Administration in Emergency and Disaster Management from the Metropolitan College of New York.

Bridget has let OCLTRG’s six-member Disaster Case Management team from day one and working in partnership with other community organizations, helped create OCLTRG’s framework for serving households with unmet needs.  Bridget is a graduate of Loyola College and holds a Master of Arts in Pastoral Care and Counseling from the University of San Diego.

We welcome Sue and congratulate and thank Bridget for her efforts in leading Ocean County’s recovery thus far.

The following toy drive has been extended to Friday, December 13, 2013.  Please consider participating.

OCLTRG Partners with Turton Toy Drive for Sandy Survivors.

For More Information Click Here:  Christmas on the Island Event Information

Dear Colleagues, Members & Friends,

The OCLTRG general meeting scheduled for December 5th will be postponed until after the holidays to allow the OCLTRG and its member agencies to focus their attention on the client and community needs during this holiday season. The next general meeting will be held on January 9, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at the Elks Club in Toms River.  With many of our agencies barely recovering from the community Thanksgiving events, we are now thrust into preparing to meet the needs for the holiday season.  Securing donations, finding host sites, advertising to the public, recruiting and organizing volunteers all while continuing to provide our normal services can be difficult. One less meeting this month is our gift to you! 

We did want to take this opportunity to update everyone on a few key items. The Human Resources Committee will be completing the interview process for the Project Director position and will make an announcement in the next few weeks.  The Case Management unit continues to hold weekly meetings to vet cases and has presented two additional cases to the Unmet Needs Table.  Over $13,000.00 was distributed to pay for the installation of flooring, storage space, well reconnections and insulation for victims of Sandy. The Construction unit provided construction support services to an additional 15 families and continues to work on 10 cases from the prior month. Our Volunteer Coordinator is finalizing the host site grants to ensure that there is sufficient housing available to volunteers assisting with the recovery. Finally, we are diligently working on a “Welcome Home” celebration for a family we have been working with for months. We will keep you up to date with regard to these events through our website.

While we should all take a moment to celebrate our accomplishments, Thanksgiving was a subtle reminder of the pain and suffering that still exists in our community as a result of this storm. The line outside of the People’s Pantry where over 400 residents received free thanksgiving dinners or the cars pulling up to the Salvation Army where 250 families received thanksgiving baskets remind us that there is much work left to be done.  We will only succeed if we continue to collaborate and work together towards the restoration of our communities and our county.

Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the recovery efforts. If anyone has an announcement they would like to send out to the group, please forward it to Lisa Petrozzello at the OCLTRG and she will post it on our website. Have a wonderful Holiday Season! We look forward to working with you in the New Year!

 Sincerely yours,

 Maria La Face

Chair of the OCLTRG

ENTER OUR FACEBOOK CHALLENGE!!
Between November 8, 2013 and November 30, 2013 enter our Facebook challenge for your chance at winning a $250 Home Depot gift card.
Simply LIKE our Facebook page and post a comment that says “I like OCLTRG and love the Jersey Shore because___________________ (fill in the blank) and then share it on your Facebook page.
The first week of December we will randomly select one name as the winner of the $250 Home Depot gift card.
Just remember you must Like, Post a Comment and Share for it to count!
GOOD LUCK!!!

Maria LaFace of Toms River Takes the Helm as Chair

The Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group has elected Maria LaFace, Esq., as its Chair for 2013-2014.  Ms. LaFace currently serves as the Assistant Executive Director of Ocean Monmouth Legal Services, Inc. based in Toms River and is uniquely qualified to lead the OCLTRG.  Ms. LaFace is a graduate of Rutgers University and received her Juris Doctorate from Golden Gate University Law School.

Since the Founding of the OCLTRG in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, Ms. LaFace has served as a member of its Steering Committee and as the Chair of the Case Management Subcommittee.  She has worked tirelessly  to assist residents recovering from the storm – including many frail and vulnerable seniors and adults with disabilities.  Her work on their behalf has required partnering with non-profits, government agencies and other social service providers in an effort to assist these individuals in their recovery.

“I have learned that collaboration is one of the most important keys to community recovery and I am eager to get to work so that we can better help and serve the thousands of Ocean County families still waiting to rebuild and return to their homes”.  “I encourage all households that are still in need of help to reach out to the OCLTRG by calling 732-569-348, the OCLTRG has trained disaster case managers, construction and volunteer labor ready to help.”

Joining Ms. Laface on the Executive Committee are Eileen Coyne of Caregivers of New Jersey, who was re-elected as Vice-Chair, Kathy Jaworski, Community Volunteer and re-elected Secretary and John Hammer, CPA, who is serving his first term as Treasurer.