7/23/2019 Hurricane Sandy Autobiography
1/6
1
THE ESTABLISHMENTOF THE HURRICANESANDY NEW JERSEYRELIEF FUNDinvolved the input ofnumerous disaster recovery experts, fellow funders and
countless in-kind donations from generous individuals andcorporations. The strong leadership of our Chair, guidance
of our Board of Directors and Grants Committee, and
continued support of charitable donors from around the
world has allowed the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief
Fund to respond to the evolving long-term needs of New
Jersey communities and families over the last three years.
This autobiography of the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey
Relief Fund examines the development, experiences,
insights and close out of a local, nonprofit disaster relief
organization. Preparation of this organizational overview
involved talented designers, humanitarians and editors
whose at something I had envisioned doing, but it has
been one of the most significant experiences Ive had as
First Lady of the great State of New Jersey.
Our objective as a funder of New Jerseys long-termrecovery from Hurricane Sandy went above the collection
and distribution of philanthropic dollars. The Relief Fund
assistance and input is greatly appreciated.
1 | Message From Our Chair
2 | Executive Letter
3 | Hurricane Sandys Aftermath
by the Numbers
4 | Overview of Sandy
Recovery Challenges
5 | Sharing Our Start-Up Story
6| Fundraising
7 | Grant-Making
8| Sparking Solutions
9 | What It Takes to Return Home
10 | Grant Highlights
11 | Distributing HSNJRF Dollars
12| Financials
13 | HSNJRF Close Out
14| Special Thanks
7/23/2019 Hurricane Sandy Autobiography
2/6
2
DEAR FRIEND,
Hurricane Sandy brought destruction on a scale never seen before to the doorsteps of New
Jersey homes, businesses and communities. Chris and I knew we had to act a nd so with
guidance and input from individuals and organizations experienced in disaster relief and
response the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund was formed. Founding and chairing
a nonprofit focused on recovery from a natural disaster is noendeavored to be a committed
partner, empathetic ear and advocate for the communities and residents navigating a path
toward normalcy.
As Chair of the Hurricane Sa ndy New Jersey Relief Fund, Id like to thank you for standing
with us over the last three years. Whether you volunteered to rebuild a familys home, made
a donation to our mission o r brought awareness to New Jerseys ongoing rebuilding efforts,
your compassion has culminated to assist more than xxx,xxx in need of kindness, support
and a helping hand in the wake of Sandy.
While I hope to never see a storm of this magnitude again, the outpouring of aid and
displays of solidarity Ive witnessed since the storm gives me both confidence and comfort
in the strength of our states resolve and the resilient spirit of my fellow New Jerseyans.
Proud to be a New Jerseyan,
Mary Pat Christie
First Lady of New Jersey
Chair, Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund
MESSAGEFROM OURCHAIR
ID LIKE TO THANKYOU FOR STANDINGWITH US OVER THE
LAST THREE YEARS.
TO OUR SUPPORTERS,
Three years ago you saw the images of what H urricane Sandy left behind. Maybe you grew
up in New Jersey, have special memories of vacations down the Shore or you were moved
to help rebuilding and recovery process takes longer than anyone expects. This year our
country recognized ten years of building back from Hurricane Katrinas impact. S even years
after Hurricane Ike recovery efforts in Texas continue and Hurricane Irenes mark can still be
seen in parts of the northeast.
Though devastating, natural disasters underline infrastructure faults and should be a
catalyst for change. Affording impacted areas the opportunity to redevelop smarter, better
and in a more purposeful way.
Fortunately, the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund (HSNJRF) has been able to
draw down on the invaluable knowledge gained from experienced friends in Louisiana,
Missouri and Florida to guide its support of long-term rebuilding efforts here in New Jersey.
More than $37.7 million in grants has been distributed by the HSNJRF to 10 9 nonprofit
organizations in support of programs singularly focused on New Jerseys recovery from
Sandy.
This composition is a record of our organizations life as a funder of lo ng-term disaster relief
efforts. Together with local leaders, the philanthropic community, state officials, faith-based
groups and volunteers we arent aiming to rebuild the New Jersey we had, we are working
to construct the New Jersey we want. One that is stronger and better prepared to confront
and respond to future challenges.
With sincere appreciation,
Kim Frawley Cam Henderson
Executive Director, HSNJRF Former Executive Director, HSNRF
WE ARE WORTO CONSTRUCNEW JERSEY W
EXECUTIVELETTER
7/23/2019 Hurricane Sandy Autobiography
3/6
4
STATE PROGRAMS
properties approved for state buyout
program (Blue Acres Program)/ 500
homeowners have accepted
of the estimated 8,400 homeowners in
New Jerseys RREM Program have finished
construction and moved back into their
homes
in RREM grants approved for 3,707
homeowners
small businesses benefited from
the Small Business AdministrationsSBA Loan Program
Sandy-related boardwalk and beach
restoration projects
719
10%
$710M
1,718
84
HURRICANE SANDYBY THE NUMBERS
127miles of New Jerseycoastline that spans fourcounties from Cape May
in the south to Monmouth
County in the north.
12number of countiesaffected by Sandy and
supported by the HSNJRF
THEGARDENSTATE
REBUILDING
75,000
flood claims submitted
to the National Flood
Insurance Program
(NFIP) in New Jersey
after Sandy
average NFIP
settlement in New Jersey
$50,667
average cost to rebuild a
modest home in New Jersey
$241,000
the cost to elevate
New Jersey homes
$10-100,000
$150,000
maximum RREM
grant award
15,370
structures have been deemed
substantially damaged by local
flood plain administrators and
are required to elevate
boa
a
ONESTRUM EXPERIO. XERFERRO VOLUT
ACCULLE SCILLAB IPSA VOLORI
SIMPERSPED ES ET FACEATU RITATQUIS
MAIOR EPUDAE QUAE NIS PRAE. ENDAM
CON RERSPER SPITENDI CONE PARUM
ETUR SINTIBUS NIT.
$3.75Breceived by New
Jersey as of 3/5/15
87,000housing units
damaged statewide
40,500primary residences
damaged
$6.28BAwarded by Federal
Departments to New
Jersey for Sandy
recovery
$32Bin damages sustained
by New Jersey
400,000businesses impacted directly or
indirectly by the storm, suffering
nearly $2 Billion in commercial loss
& interrupted business operations
DAMAGE
The Gulf Region has been
rebuilding from Hurricane
Katrina for 10 years
2%of New Jerseyans thatthink it will take more than a
decade to return to normal
XXXvercidu ntinis ullignimilipsa volorenet faccaestin eos
core, arunto mollaut ipic tem
volest di a dessitasped
LONG-TERM RECOVERY A CALLOUT HEREUDAN
BLABORRO EXPLIAM UNSOLUPTI BUSAE. NEM F
NAMUS, IBER FEROR ER
1Data gathered using FEMA Individual Assistance and Pu
claims, insurance claims provided by the NJ Departmen
Insurance, input from State agencies- States Action Pla
2 Source: United States Recovery Accountability and Tran
3 According to classifications made by HUD States Actio
4 http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/13/03/14/assessin
superstorm-sandy/
5 According to classifications made by HUD States Actio
6Based on the average GFI awardees rebuilding costs a
received.
7 According to DEP data from local flood plain administr
8 The Department of Environmental Protection 04/2015
9 http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/15/04/28/two-an
hurricane-sandy-storm-victims-continue-to-struggle/10 https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2014/10/28/two
most-new-jerseys-boardwalks-rebuilt
11 Rutgers Eagleton Poll released April 2013 http://news.r
news-releases/2013/april-2013/most-new-jerseyans-s-2
VeXK9XiRZUQ
References: (http://nj.gov/gorr/), the States Sandy Trans
(http://nj.gov/comptroller/sandytransparency/), and the S
(http://www.renewjerseystronger.org/plans-policies-repo
7/23/2019 Hurricane Sandy Autobiography
4/6
6
VOLUNTEER COORDINATION
Managing and directing volunteer groups offering assistance
in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy presented significant
challenges. In October 2012 the existence of a centralized
HelpNJNow.org
HelpNJNow.org was launched in April 2015. Created in
partnership with NJ Voluntary Organizations Active in
Disaster (NJVOAD), the NJ Office of Emergency Management
(NJOEM), and the NJ Governors Office of Volunteerism this
website provides public information and guidance on how
to help New Jersey communities recovering from a disaster.
Having a single site for individuals and corporations can
donate to a specific disaster response group operating in
New Jersey, learn what type of assistance is needed, where
it is needed and how to contact an organization active in
immediate and long-term recovery efforts will address many
of the volunteer coordination issues faced by state officials,
local leaders and nonprofit organizations in the aftermath of
Sandy.
Salvation Army Impact Report
Because of the organizations history with NJ VOAD, The
Salvation Armys ability to collaborate with community
partners resulted in coordination of resources and services andminimized duplication of effort.
HOUSING VOLUNTEERS
Following Hurricane Sandy New Jersey saw an ou
financial and human support. The mass influx of o
volunteers uncovered a significant lack of volunte
the state. In response HSNJRF contributed to the
and improvement of volunteer host sites in storm
areas of New Jersey.
Camp Evans
Serving: Monmouth and Ocean Counties
The location of Camp Evans in southern Monmou
makes the two counties most impacted by Hurric
Sandy, Monmouth County and Ocean County, acc
to volunteers. It took x months to transform Camp
into a fully functioning volunteer site capable of h
volunteers. Since opening its doors in October 20
500 unique volunteers, providing 30,000 voluntee
stayed at Camp Evans.
Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church, Voluntee
Serving: Monmouth and Ocean Counties
1155 volunteers were housed, working 35,800 hou
relief and recovery work. Over 200 homes/familie
helped. supply non-profits with volunteer labor fo
rebuilding.
SIGNIFICANTSANDY RECOVERYCHALLENGES
Hurricane Sandy was just the beginning of the storm. Nonprofit organizations, faith-based
groups and state departments needed to establish disaster response programs capable
of distributing assistance quickly and efficiently. Sandy has been described as a once in a
lifetime event; everything that could have happened to strengthen the storm did. Neither
New York, nor New Jersey had dealt with extreme weather to this degree contributing to
delays in the distribution of immediate and long-term aid to residents.
The HSNJRF sought to address many of the main recovery challenges in its grant making.
1 ATitlefor thePhoto | 2 ATitlefor thePhoto | 3 ATitlefor thePhoto | 4 ATitlefor the Photo
1
2
3
4
7/23/2019 Hurricane Sandy Autobiography
5/6
8
INCREASE VOLUNTEER COORDINATION AND HOUSING
n Volunteer labor is vital to long-term recovery efforts.
High rebuilding costs in the northeast are are able to be
subsidized by skilled volunteers. On October 29, 2012 New
Jersey was not capable of housing and coordinating the
number of volunteers that were ready and willing to come
to our state and rebuild after Hurricane Sandy.
n The reconstruction of Camp Evans into volunteer housingwas scheduled for completion on xx/xx/2013. Due to
weather and construction delays the host site did not
accept its first volunteers until October 2014, two years
after the storm. Though this project is one that will
continue to give back to the community as the facility is
able to serve as volunteer housing in the event of a future
disaster, it did not have the anticipated impact we had
expected due to the delays in completion.
EARLY SUPPORT OF LTRGS
n In August 2015, the Homeland Security Departments
inspector general recommended that in the future FEMA
should better, anticipate and prepare for future needs
by working to find and establish field offices as soon as a
storm is forecast instead of waiting for it to hit. Extreme
weather warnings are issued long before a storm. Thenonprofit community and local disaster response groups
could save valuable time and funds by organizing in
advance.
n Originally the HSNJRF only provided grant funding to
LTRGs in the nine impacted counties of New Jersey as
defined by FEMA. Through our attendance at Sandy
focused conferences, site visits and conversations with
individuals on the ground we learned that Sandys
destruction went beyond the nine highly impacted
counties, affecting residents of Cumberland, Gloucester
and Salem Counties. Individuals outside the FEMA
designated impacted counties were not eligible to apply
or receive state grants. The HSNJRF, and other funding
organizations, stepped in to meet the needs of these
counties and families via grants in support of the LTRGs.
n LTRGs have been essential to the recovery of New Jerseys
communities and residents. While some have been more
effective than others these organizations have been
invaluable partners to the HSNJRF. They know the local
officials, neighborhoods and challenges facing their clients
and are best positioned to build community trust, act as an
advocate for their county and
ADDRESSING RENTAL AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING NEEDS
n Through a grant to New Jersey Community Capitals
(NJCC) ReStart the Shore Program the HSNJRF is
supporting the acquisition and redevelopment of vacant
homes in Sandy-impacted counties. The ReStart the Shore
Program launched in MONTH 2014 with NJCCs purchase
of 517 distressed mortgages and empty properties
in storm-affected counties. The program works with
homeowners who wish to remain in their homes to modify
their mortgage and turns abandoned homes into restored
affordable rental and for-sale housing units available to
displaced Sandy survivors.
EDUCATING HOMEOWNERS ON THE NFIP
n In partnership with our grantee United Policyholders an
NFIP Last Chance Webinar was hosted in March 2014. It
was the first webinar United Policyholders offered to the
general public and a recording of the workshop is available
online.
n Our educational program for Sandy was initially focused
on helping homeowners understand their insurance
policies and options get their properties fully inspected
and complete repair estimates so their claims could be
submitted in compliance with fairly short deadlines. We
created materials and a curriculum designed in anticipation
of people having to meet those deadlines then pursue
formal appeals, mediation and litigation avenues for
resolving disputes. In the end the NFIP granted a series of
extensions followed by the
EXPECT PROGRAMS TO CHANGE AND ADAPT
n $150,000 is not enough to rebuild a home in New Jersey
and basing housing recovery grants on the homes pre-
storm market value put damage estimates higher than the
home value leaving homeowners with significant funding
gaps.
n These large state-run grant programs for distributing
federal funding tend to be complex and slow to react tocircumstances.
n difficult to keep up with the most up-to-date
without a computer.
n Grant program launch and end dates need to
better coordinated. For example, New Jersey
rental assistance program closed down before
homeowners received their RREM grant to sta
This left thousands of homeowners battling to
n Homeowners impacted by Sandy were faced
expensive and big decisions that they cannot
to make on their own.
Rebuild, Replace or Relocate?
Do I have the resources to rebuild?
What is a realistic housing goal?
If I cant afford to rebuild, how do I respons
of my property?
What policies, clauses, amendments etc. sh
home insurance plan to protect my future h
Speaking with a housing counselor will help
better understand their options, make an in
decision based on their individual situation a plan to recovery. The HSNJRF recently ap
a proposal from the Affordable Housing Alli
(AHA) to start a Housing Recovery Resourc
(HRRC). The HRRC conducts outreach serv
expert led workshops and individual counse
foreclosure mediation, financial literacy trai
reconstruction, permitting, contract assista
more. The goal is to help homeowners mak
choice and avoid falling into further financia
HSNJRFLEARNINGS
ONESTRUM EXPERIO. XERFERRO VOLUTACCULLE SCILLAB IPSA VOLORI
SIMPERSPED ES ET FACEATU RITATQUIS
MAIOR EPUDAE QUAE NIS PRAE. ENDAM
CON RERSPER SPITENDI CONE PARUM
ETUR SINTIBUS NIT
6 http://www.state.nj.us/dca/announcements/pdf/CDBG
DisasterRecoveryActionPlan.pdf p.4-5
7 http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/08/fema_w
funds_on_hurricane_sandy_field.html
7/23/2019 Hurricane Sandy Autobiography
6/6
10
CONNECTING/COMMUNICATIONS
Setting up a digital footprint and marketing efforts
immediately after the storm to capture the outpouring of
support was pivotal to our fundraising goals. Generous in-
kind donations including website development, social media
presence and a PSA campaign were up and functional within x
weeks after the storm.
Chair of the HSNJRF, First Lady Mary Pat Christie has often
remarked that there is no how-to guide for starting a local
disaster recovery fund, so the HSNJRF sought guidance
from practiced disaster response groups and knowledgeable
individuals, including:
nRobin HoodnFL- Bush GroupnIBMnConsultants
Importance of transparency in granting,
Dissemination of accurate information
Using your megaphone as a funder with a recognizable leader
to promote programs and distribute important information.
OPERATIONS
Quunt erion cullupt atiumquatem rem es num, ut
illenis acipsum quatios et dolorup tatium es estium
mosamusam, undantum ea velent apeditam quis
voluptatur si natiorrum volut volest fuga. Licitia se
andit re con parum necto bearuptat voles volupta
estionsedita quam sum esed mostium eum faccu
Et occuptae odis minulli squiatusa pro eosseque s
dolorrum experi natum et hil inverae peruptam, to
et aut magnis et andis et quisqui id que num sequ
arit labor aliquatiust autem voloreiur rest, quunda
doloreptas ne nimodion et voluptati nes re nis dol
ea plaut venis dolorenient que cum quodige ndele
voluptatur. Evelici aeriae vitati bea volum archil ip
isque nonsequatem
Rerum sa et es sit et as aliqui to bea quias et utem
quo optaest, volendandem fuga. Pelent rehendis a
cusam quatem et volupta dolorepe ne doluptatur
volut et est volorit atecea sum aut aut fugit, quas
ad et, quissecatum aut fuga. Sedigent quodit acer
eius plandaesto bla vel moluptaquia vellabo. Ri ut
eaquis voluptat.
SHARING OURSTARTUPSTORY
Although disaster response is often seen as the fi rst actions taken after
a crisis, in reality it encompasses a continuum of services that may stretch
over months and even years
Providing Long-Term Services after Major Disasters
The Urban Institute, August 2007
1 ATitlefor thePhoto | 2 ATitlefor thePhoto
1
2
OUR MISSION
Raise and distribute funding
to established and effective
nonprofit organizations
capable of responding to the
unmet needs and long-term
recovery essentials of New
Jerseys impacted communities,
businesses and families.
Top Related