October 14, 2014
Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group Reaches $2 Million Distribution Mark
Assists Hundreds of Ocean County Residents
Toms River, NJ – The Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group (OCLTRG) and its partner agencies are proud to announce $2 million has been committed to Ocean County residents affected by Superstorm Sandy. This was accomplished through the OCLTRG facilitated Unmet Needs Table—a partnership of agencies, which is comprised of the OCLTRG, OceanFirst Foundation, United Way of Ocean County, Salvation Army, Homes for All, A Future with Hope and Lutheran Social Ministries, who review and seek to meet the remaining needs of residents after all other avenues of assistance have been pursued. Major funders of the OCLTRG include the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund, American Red Cross and the Robin Hood Foundation.
Between July 2013 and the end of April 2014, the Unmet Needs Table committed their first $1 million to clients in Ocean County. Between May 2014 and the end of September 2014, the Unmet Needs Table committed their second million dollars, bringing the total of client cases helped to 241.
OCLTRG has also coordinated volunteers from across the country to assist in the recovery effort. Since inception, 750 volunteers have put in 14,500 hours of work on 60 homes vetted by disaster case managers from the OCLTRG or one of its partner agencies. The value of this volunteer work is approximately $400,000.
The need for volunteers is expected to increase as the NJ State Grant Program (RREM) works more and more closely with the Long Term Recovery Groups and substantial repair and rebuild projects move through the pipeline. OCLTRG seeks volunteers, both locally and from the nationwide base of adult and youth mission trips, who will generously share their skills and help with Sandy recovery.