Help For Rumson's Sandy-Afflicted

Rumson's volunteer Sandy relief facilitator, Maryann Baret, has issued, via email, the following update on assistance available to the Sandy-afflicted: 

Tax Assistance Outreach Program

These events are being held to help individuals get answers on property tax questions, advice from the IRS on casualty loss recording on your tax filings and help in filing income taxes for 2012.  Those wishing to attend can register online at https://www.state.nj.us/treas/taxation/contactus_tytstormsandyrelief.shtml. You can also send an email to outreach.tax@treas.state.nj.us or call 609-633-6015 and leave a message.

Currently, the remaining date and time for the location closest to Rumson is:

• March 14, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Bradley Beach Library, 511 4th Avenue, Bradley Beach. 

This IRS publication may also help in understanding the recording of casualty and disaster losses in your tax filings:  http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p584.pdf

SBA and Disaster Assistance Sign Up - Extended to April 1

If you have not already done sone, you can still sign up for SBA Disaster Loan Assistance through April 1st.  Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela Applications can be downloaded from www.sba.gov . For more information, call the SBA’s toll-free line at 800-659-2955. If you use TTY, call 800-877-8339.

Individuals can register for assistance and follow up on previous applications by registering online or by web-enabled mobile device at m.FEMA.gov. By phone or 711/VRS, you can call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585.

The SBA has also opened ten Business Recovery Centers throughout New Jersey to help survivors. The closest recovery centers to Rumson are: 

 • Long Branch Fire Station #4, 199-205 Union Avenue, Long Branch, NJ 07740

• Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center, 945 Route 36, Leonardo, NJ 07737 

Charitable Update

The Robin Hood Foundation is almost complete in dispersing its raised funds from the 12.12.12 concert. Local charities who have received funding can be found on their site at this link:

http://www.robinhood.org/rhsandy

The NJ Sandy Relief Fund (Mrs. Christie fund) will be dispersing funds on a cyclical basis focusing on a long-term recovery process to local charities who in turn will help individuals. 

The Monmouth County Long Term Recovery Group is a group that will be a recipient of both Robin Hood funding as well as the NJ Sandy Relief Funding.  

The way an individual will be able to access this funding is through a case management service to assist the individual unmet needs. The case management process is almost finalized in going "live."  

By mid-month the Monmouth County Long Term Recovery Group will have its Web site live with locations where an individual will be able to meet with a case manager to sit and discuss their unmet needs.

These unmet needs may be in the terms of financial assistance or other rebuilding items such as:  construction materials, replacement of home goods (linens, dishes, beds, furniture and other items of that nature), emotional or health needs, or temporary or permanent housing.  

The process of case management is used by inputting your information into this CAN system and the CAN system electronically seeks out recoverable assets from a wide variety of resources in assisting a person in disaster recovery. 

"CAN" 

• stands for the Coordinated Assistance Network 

• is "a Network of People, Information, and Tools to Help Communities Recover" 

• is an offering of the American Red Cross 

• is a partnership with Voluntary Organizations such as AIRS, Catholic Charities, UMCOR, NVOAD, the United Way and many other large and small groups. 

• The Sea Bright gym will be one of those locations shortly where case management services will be available.  The minute this service is up and running you will be notified so that you can meet with a case manager to seek out assistance in any form above.

O.C.E.A.N. Inc grants for heater, hot water heater, and duct work rebuild

This organization has been given a grant of $1.2 million to help individuals in rebuilding their heater, hot water heater, or other duct work related to these two systems for those affected by Sandy.

It does not cover air conditioners unless medically necessary.  Although this organization has provided this in the past, and has had an income requirement that an individual not have an income more than 200 percent over the poverty level, they have strongly recommended that anyone who needs this service please contact them because they can review your need on a case by case basis and there may be income level exceptions made.  

You can contact them by calling: 732-244-8176 or 732-774-4006.  You can see this program at this link under the category Weatherization:  http://oceaninc.org/programs/#home-energy

The program states Ocean County residents, but they are extending this disaster help to both Ocean and Monmouth counties. 

Post-Sandy Assistance for Children 

Small Factory Productions located in Fair Haven has announced a Create-a-Cartoon Workshop for Children displaced by Hurricane Sandy:  

This spring Small Factory Productions looks forward to working with Psychologist Dr. Alison Block and project sponsor, the Jay Dooley Memorial Foundation, on a new Kids Kare Create-A-Cartoon program for children ages 8-12 displaced by Sandy.  

The children will meet for once a week for 6 weeks at Small Factory's Fair Haven Studio. Consecutive Saturday dates and times in April to be determined by the group. The kids will work together to create a cartoon with their characters, storyline, setting and voices that will touch on their experiences and emotions related to the storm.  

If you know of a child who is currently displaced and would like to participate in the free program, contact Jennifer Smiga at jen@inbloomcomm.com. You can also view Small Factory Productions website at: http://mysmallfactory.com

• The YMCA has received a donation from the Robin Hood Foundation to sponsor a free summer camp for children of families affected by Hurricane Sandy. Please see this link for all of the details: 

http://www.tomsriverfc.com/Portals/1009/docs/YMCA.pdf

For more information, check Rumson's storm recovery page on it's Web site by clicking here.