Charity organizations help family get home

Proctor reached out to Catholic Charities Disaster Response Program last October after her family ran out of money while trying to pay the mortgage and utilities on its Joline Avenue house and a contractor hired to complete repairs made matters worse by removing a load-bearing wall.

Catholic Charities enlisted the Monmouth County Long Term Recovery Group, Lutheran Social Ministries, Brethren Disaster Ministries and the American Red Cross to help the Proctors.

In all, the menagerie of nonprofit groups helped restore the critical wall, replace damaged drywall, replace carpeting, paint the home and replace furniture.

And in April, the Proctors were able to return home.

“My children feel home and secure again,” Proctor said.

“It’s good to know there are so many honest people willing to give of themselves. You really could feel they were so sincere.”

Where you can get help

Organizations still providing assistance:

• 211; resource for financial assistance, housing, legal assistance and transportation; www.nj211.org/hurricane.cfm

• A Future with Hope; disaster case management; 732-359-1012

• Affordable Housing Alliance; housing assistance; housingall.org

• Catholic Charities’ Disaster Response Program; disaster case management; 800-652-2080, DisasterResponse@cctrenton.org

• Children’s Home Society; counseling, housing, employment, clothing, household goods; 1433 Hooper Ave., #340, Toms River; 732-557-5037

• Church of Grace and Peace; clothing, food pantry; 1563 Old Freehold Road, Toms River; 732-349-1550

• Community Health Law Project; legal services; 44 Washington St., Toms River; 732-349-6714

• Coastal Habitat for Humanity; Sandy-related home repair for residents in sections of Monmouth County; Felix Acevedo, 732-974-2422, ext. 1, CoastalHabitat.org

• Family Promise; homelessness relief for southern Ocean County; 609-994-3317

• FoodBank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties; distributes food to agencies throughout Ocean and Monmouth counties and provides assistance applying for food stamps; www.foodbankmoc.org

• Foundation to Save the Jersey Shore; rebuild homes and businesses, appliance assistance; www.savethejerseyshore.org

• Gap Funding Initiative; possible additional financial assistance to those on RREM Pathway C; 1-800-645-5182

• Habitat for Humanity in Monmouth County; Sandy-related home repair; www.habitatmon-mouth.org, 732-728-0441

• Habitat for Humanity (Ocean County); rebuilding, disaster training, thrift store, mitigation; 800-422-4828

• Hometown Heroes; leads the Restore the Shore Hurricane Sandy relief campaign; www.usahometownheroes.org; 732-473-9400

• Lunch Break; provides hot meals in the soup kitchen, groceries and clothing to those in need; lunchbreak.org, 732-747-8577

• Monmouth County Long Term Recovery Group; mcltrg.org, 848-206-2550

• New Jersey Small Business Development Center at Brookdale Community College; providing assistance to small business that were impacted by Sandy; 765 Newman Springs Road, ATEC 111, Lincroft; 732-842-8685, www.mosbdc.com

• Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs; investigates, mediates and enforces the Consumer Fraud Act; 732-929-2105

• Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group; oceancountyltrg.org; 732-569-3484

• Ocean-Monmouth Legal Services; free legal assistance to those impacted by Sandy; www.lsnj.org/omls

• Operation HOPE — HOPE Coalition America; provides disaster and financial recovery assistance to those impacted by Sandy in Ocean and Monmouth counties, 270 Chambers Bridge Road, Brick; 732-451-2068

• Statewide Sandy Fraud Working Group; investigation and prosecution of civil and criminal fraud related to Sandy and the disaster recovery process; 855-726-3939; www.nj.gov/oag/ca/stopsandyfraud/index.htm

• Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey; will have funds available July 1 to screen Sandy survivors in Monmouth and Ocean counties for behavioral health; www.vnahg.org; 732-777-6333

• The Sandy Homeowner Renter Assistance Program, or SHRAP, offers six months of assistance up to $15,000.

Residents in Ocean County can apply through OCEAN Inc., accepting applications at these locations:

• Ocean County Southern Service Center, 179 S. Main St., Stafford; 609-978-6283

• Lions Head Office Park, 35 Beaverson Blvd., Building 3, Suite E, Brick; 732-477-5260

• S&F Plaza, 2008 Route 37 E., Suite 12, Toms River; 732-288-7913

In Monmouth County, applications can be submitted by appointment only at:

• Affordable Housing Alliance, 59 Broad St., Eatontown; 732-389-2958

• Community Affairs Resource Center, 913 Sewall Ave., Asbury Park; 732-774-3282

• Community Affairs Resource Center, 12 Throckmorton St., Freehold; 732-431-6977

• Novedebt, 225 Willowbrook Road, Freehold Township; 800-772-4557, ext. 80455

 Susanne Cervenka, @scervenka 7:07 a.m. EDT May 25, 2014