Resources to help you in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy did major damage to Connecticut.

Resources:

• FEMA can help you cover the costs of repairs if your damaged property is not covered, or under-covered, by insurance. Assistance is available to help cover the cost of temporary housing, home repair or replacement, permanent and semi-permanent housing construction, and other needs such as medical, dental, funeral, and transportation expenses. To receive financial disaster assistance, you must apply directly to FEMA by phone, via mobile device, or online:
  • By phone: Call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). For those with speech or hearing disabilities, the number is 1-800-462-7585. These lines are open every day from 7am to 10pm.
  • From your mobile device, visit m.fema.gov
  • Online: Apply online here.
• Union Plus Disaster Relief Grant. As part of the Union Plus Union SAFE programs designed to assist union members, the Disaster Relief Grant is able to help those who are facing financial hardship due to a natural disaster. The money does not have to be repaid.
• There are dozens of forms of assistance available. Go to disasterassistance.gov and fill out the anonymous questionnaire to find out what assistance you qualify for.
• Helpful links, including insurance questions, disaster planning and debris maintenance.
• To reach CL&P, call 1-800-286-2000; to reach Northeast Utilities, call 1-800-286-5000; or to reach United Illuminating, call 1-800-722-5584.

Donate

You can help your fellow union members! Here are three ways you can help:

• The AFT Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Fund—Donations go directly to affected members via their locals.
• DonorsChoose.org—The AFT has donated seed money to help classrooms and schools devastated by Hurricane Sandy. Go to http://www.donorschoose.org/teachers/ to post your Hurricane Sandy project.
  The AFT donation link will be live soon.
• First Book—The AFT has established a matching grant to provide new books to children affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Red Cross

Please make a donation to American Red Cross Disaster Relief today. The Red Cross continues to mobilize resources and relief workers to respond to Hurricane Sandy’s impact. Your help is desperately needed to provide essential aid including shelter, meals, basic health care, emotional support and other emergency services.

Red Cross is urging immediate blood and platelet donations to support the blood needs of those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Click here to find a blood drive near you.

United Way

United Ways along the Eastern Seaboard have established the United Way Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund to address near-term and long-term recovery needs of communities most affected by the hurricane. Contributions to the Fund will be used by United Ways in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, DC and West Virginia to address recovery needs in communities that FEMA has declared disaster areas. We give our sincere thanks to United Way of New York City who will manage the regional fund.
 
Visit UWSandyRecovery.org to donate to the Fund. You can also use your phone to text RECOVERY to 52000 to make a $10 donation.