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School districts in upstate NY; social services organization in SD; clinic in Joplin, MO receive needed funding
To help disaster survivors in communities across America rebound from one of the worst tornado seasons on record, followed by record flooding from heavy rains, tropical storms and hurricanes, AmeriCares is awarding a total of $500,000 in disaster recovery grants. The first three grants have been allocated to help families in upstate NY, rural SD, and Joplin, MO.$90,000 to help NY school districts recover from tropical storm-related floodingA $90,000 grant has been awarded to a group of school districts in upstate New York struggling in the aftermath of tropical storms Irene and Lee. The grant enables the Cobleskill-Richmondville, Middleburgh and Schoharie school districts to hire a shared counselor/social worker to help students deal with the severe emotional impact of the storms. In Schoharie Village alone, flood damage has left 80 percent of the buildings condemned—including many students’ homes and the businesses where their parents worked. Months after the storm, many students and their families in all three districts remain displaced from their homes, living with friends and relatives or in temporary housing.“The sheer force of the floodwaters ripped homes off their foundations,” said AmeriCares relief worker Garrett Ingoglia, who recently visited the area to assess the damage. “It will take months before some of the boarded-up businesses can re-open and years before some students can return to their homes.”The school officials have observed noticeable changes in their students stemming from the terrifying experience of the actual disaster and the stresses of coping with the aftermath. To help their students and the community overcome the traumatic events, the project will assist teachers in identifying signs of distress among students and addressing the disaster in their classrooms as appropriate; enable affected children to receive psychological counseling; and connect families to government and non-profit social services and resources to rebuild their lives.$29,000 to help flood survivors in rural South DakotaA $29,000 grant has been awarded to a social services organization in South Dakota to provide outreach and case management services to people displaced by Missouri River flooding. The organization will reach out to 1,000 families in more rural areas of the flood-stricken state to provide case management and referral services, mental health counseling, and help in applying for FEMA and other assistance.$40,000 to help a women’s clinic in tornado-ravaged Joplin, MO
Photo courtesy of Capital Region BOCESAmeriCares is assisting school children in upstate New York, where communities are shuttered due to flood damage.A women’s clinic in Joplin, MO, hard hit by tornadoes this past spring, received a $40,000 grant. The tornado damage caused many of the primary care providers in town to close, resulting in a surge in demand for the women’s clinic. At the same time, many residents of Joplin lost their jobs—and their only source of insurance—in the disaster. The AmeriCares funding will allow the clinic to meet the increased demand for care, and it will assist families who need financial help in accessing specialized diagnostic services. On August 31, AmeriCares launched a $500,000 U.S. Disaster Recovery Initiative to aid survivors in communities throughout the U.S. The grants, ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 are being awarded for health-related recovery projects with an emphasis on medical care for the uninsured, mental health and psychosocial support services, as well as preparedness for future disasters. The remaining grant funds are being awarded and announced on a rolling basis.Read MoreDonate Now