Montclair Aid Programs Can Help Locals Cope With Ida Losses

MONTCLAIR, NJ — All across Montclair, people have been pulling together to help neighbors in need after Hurricane Ida. And those with love in their hearts run the gamut from nonprofits, to houses of worship, to kids with lemonade stands, a councilman says.

According to Peter Yacobellis, there are several local programs in Montclair that have been created after a devastating 7.5 inches of rain was dumped on the town, flooding homes and businesses.

“Thanks to kids with lemonade stands, the Montclair Firefighters Foundation, houses of worship, the Montclair Foundation, volunteers from Montclair Mutual Aid and over 400 individual donors, we've raised nearly $45,000 since the night of the storm for relief efforts and have already disbursed nearly $20,000 of that,” Yacobellis said Tuesday.

• See related article: First COVID, Now Ida: Montclair Restaurant Owner Not Giving Up

The councilman shared a list of local relief programs, noting that they’re being run on a first-come, first serve basis until funds are exhausted. Residents who are approved for one program are not eligible for any others.

Montclair Fund for Ida Relief Programs

1) NEW - $500 grants to cover the cost of replacing items such as: a furnace, other HVAC equipment, hot water heater, telecommunications, electrical or internet equipment. These grants are available to residents with a household income of $100,000 or less who lost one or more of these items because of flooding from the storm. They're available to residents without insurance or to offset an insurance deductible if they do have insurance.

Residents Can Apply Here

2) NEW - $500 or $1,000 grants to non profit 501(c)(3) organizations with a physical location in Montclair that suffered damage from the storm. This grant can be used to satisfy an insurance deductible or otherwise cover the cost of facility or equipment damage, cleanup costs or other uses critical to the operation.

Non Profit Organizations Can Apply Here

3) $500 grants to cover the cost of overall cleanup, debris cleanup/removal, mold remediation or damage to the home that is not covered by insurance. These grants are available to residents with a household income of $100,000 or less.

Residents Can Apply Here

4) $500 for moderate or low income tenants (household income of ~$100,000 or less) to cover the cost of necessary personal possessions lost due to flooding. Necessary items as defined by FEMA include furniture, clothing, shoes, school supplies, bedding/linens and small appliances.

Tenants Can Apply Here

Small Businesses

To support our small businesses who have suffered damage from Tropical Storm Ida, I will be dedicating between $5,000 and $7,500 from the fund to help market the launch of a new town-wide business directory that business leaders on the COVID-19 task force had developed to originally deal with that crisis but that we know will serve multiple purposes in the years ahead.

The website will include a page dedicated to resources from Ida and eventually supplemental promotions for businesses who were directly impacted, some of which remain closed. This website, which will launch tomorrow is the next iteration of Love Our Montclair which is the marketing campaign that Mayor Spiller, Deputy Mayor Hurlock and I developed and rolled out last summer. If you're a Montclair business owner, I strongly suggest that you register your business with our new directory so that you may benefit from engagement with consumers who we'll be driving to the site.

Register your business on LoveOurMontclair.com.

Federal & State Support

Lastly, as you may have seen, FEMA did grant a major disaster declaration for Essex County and with it, relief programs for residents. Residents can explore and apply for resources at www.disasterassistance.gov.

Governor Murphy also announced a grant program for small businesses. That program and the portal will open on Friday morning on this site where you can also find program criteria.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

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