Residents in Chittenden, Essex and Lamoille counties who suffered damage in the May 22-26, 2013 flooding are eligible for financial assistance from the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund.
David Coates, chair of the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund, announced today that the directors of the fund have determined that the severity of the May flooding and its widespread impact on individuals and homeowners were sufficient to trigger access to the fund.
‘Our fund was set up to be there to support the long-term unmet needs of Vermonters when a disaster of significant magnitude hits the state,’said Coates. ‘We believe this meets our criteria.’
Coates said that most of the damage to individuals seemed to be in Underhill, Jericho, Essex and Cambridge. ‘We already know of people whose homes suffered significant damage, especially in basements, where furnaces, water heaters and electrical systems were ruined,’said Coates.
The non-profit Vermont Disaster Relief Fund, financed solely by private donations, was created two years ago to provide financial assistance to the thousands of Vermonters whose lives were torn apart by the spring floods of 2011 and the August devastation caused by Tropical Storm Irene.
The fund, however, is designed to remain in place after the cleanup from Irene is completed so that it can be ready to assist individuals affected by other disasters.
The fund is designed to fill the gap that exists after disaster survivors seek assistance from the federal government, private insurance and other grant and loan programs, on a local, regional, and statewide level.
The fund does not provide assistance to businesses or to public structures or roads.
Coates said that there are still roughly 200 open cases from Irene but he believes the fund will have sufficient dollars to cover those and the cases that might come from last month’s flooding in northwestern Vermont. The fund has allocated more than $3 million to roughly 300 cases.
Individuals who suffered damage in the May flooding can call toll-free (888) 707-8373.
Or visit the website at www.VermontDisasterRecovery.com
The Vermont Disaster Relief Fund has raised close to $8 million. Donations can be made through the fund’s website, www.VermontDisasterRecovery.com