Rebuilding Together Receives $2.25 Million Grant from Red Cross to Rebuild Nearly 90 Homes Damaged by Hurricane Sandy

WASHINGTON, Aug. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Rebuilding Together and the American Red Cross have joined forces to help bring nearly 90 homes devastated by Hurricane Sandy back to safe and healthy housing conditions.  Thanks to a $2.25 million grant from the American Red Cross to Rebuilding Together, these low-income homeowners can look forward to rebuilding their lives and returning to their communities.

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Rebuilding Together's local affiliates and volunteers in New York City, Long Island, Bergen County and Jersey City will be providing free critical home repairs in many of the areas affected by Hurricane Sandy.  Most of the homes will require modifications and repairs that may address electrical and plumbing issues, flooring, drywall, appliance replacements, painting, basement and exterior rehabilitation with the goal of ensuring all of the homes are safe, healthy and livable.  Those eligible for services include low-income families, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and veterans.

"We greatly appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with the Red Cross in the long term recovery of communities devastated by Hurricane Sandy," said John L. Fiegel, interim president and CEO of Rebuilding Together. "Senior citizens and low-income homeowners are among the most vulnerable in times of disaster and we are honored to be a partner with the Red Cross to help nearly 90 families get back on their feet."

As of July 2013, hard-working Rebuilding Together affiliates in New York City, Long Island, Bergen County, Jersey City, and Essex County have already completed more than 200 projects, assisting more than 375 families or individuals with the help of over 2,000 volunteers.

"Recovery from a storm of this size takes time and help from many different organizations, not just the Red Cross, and we are pleased to support the programs of Rebuilding Together and other partners, and to continue to work with them to help people with their recovery," said Jerry DeFrancisco, president of Humanitarian Services at the Red Cross. "We can help people and communities in a more comprehensive way when we pool our resources and services together in a coordinated way. This not only speeds recovery, but helps us engage the entire community in building the resilience we need as we face disasters of this type in the future."

About Rebuilding Together:
Rebuilding Together believes that everyone deserves to live in a safe and healthy home.  Our focus provides critical repairs, accessibility modifications and energy efficient upgrades to low-income homes and community centers at no cost to service recipients.  Our impact extends beyond the individuals served to revitalize and stabilize vulnerable neighborhoods and communities across the country.  Our nearly 200 affiliates complete 10,000 rebuild projects a year thanks to the efforts of close to  200,000 volunteers from corporate partners, skilled tradespeople, and everyday good citizens.  Join us - visit www.RebuildingTogether.org. You can also follow Rebuilding Together on Twitter @rebldgtogthr or become a fan on Facebook at Facebook.com/RebuildingTogether.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

SOURCE Rebuilding Together