The American Red Cross has awarded a grant of $257,000 to support long term recovery efforts in Bridgeport.
The grant to United Way of Coastal Fairfield County will help the
Bridgeport Long Term Recovery Group work with populations that have
needs which other funding resources have not been able to address.
Individual needs identified included home repairs and mitigation of
future damage; replacement of furniture, clothing and household items;
rental assistance; and reimbursement of monies spent by homeowners on
repairs due to Superstorm Sandy.
“More than a year after Sandy there are people who are in need of
help to recover,” said Mario Bruno, American Red Cross Connecticut and
Rhode Island Region chief executive officer. “The Red Cross, thanks to
generous donors, continues working with affected families, communities
and partner organizations to provide that help and support.”
Local officials were pleased about the collaboration between United Way of Coastal Fairfield and the Red Cross.
“Hurricane Sandy was devastating for families across the Park City,”
Mayor Bill Finch said. “But thanks to organizations like the American
Red Cross, and their generosity, it’s made recovery a bit easier for
people in cities across Connecticut who weathered this horrific storm.”
United Way of Coastal Fairfield County will help the Long Term Recovery Group to manage and distribute assistance.
Superstorm Sandy is the largest U.S. operation by the Red Cross in
more than five years, and as a result of the public’s support, the Red
Cross has received $311 million in donations for Sandy emergency relief
and recovery efforts. As of Feb. 28, the Red Cross has spent or
committed $291 million — nearly 93% of the donated funds.
In addition to United Way of Coastal Fairfield County, the Red Cross
has partnered with and funded numerous community-based organizations to
support the recovery of individuals and families in Connecticut. These
partners include CT Rises, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Operation
Hope, United Way of Milford and North Walke Housing Corp., as well as
other state and national organizations. Superstorm Sandy recovery
efforts focus on the areas of housing repair assistance, relocation
assistance, case management and hazard mitigation.