By Layla Kalinen EAGLE TIMES STAFF
Stratton Community Foundation is raising money while delivering dehumidifiers and fans to water-soaked homes. The foundation will host an Aug. 19 fundraiser on Magic Mountain.
Director Tammy Mosher said they are providing services in the Londonderry, Townshend, Peru, Jamaica, Stratton and Manchester areas.
“As soon as we realized that families were going to be in need of financial aid and people were losing their homes, we started a Relief Fund like we did with Hurricane Irene,” Mosher said. “We raised more than $450,000 so we are hoping for that same outpouring this time. We’re at about $250,000 to help families with financial recovery.”
“We’ve been handing out humidifiers and fans,” Mosher said. “We also have a project release team on the ground reaching out to people going door-to-door to see if we can provide services that help people maneuver between FEMA and insurance. The team will then come back to the foundation’s board of directors. The board will then disperse funds. We’ve been handing out grocery cards for now trying to just assess what people need and then turn to recovery mode.”
Mosher said the foundation will release funds after a complete review of information.
“Funds will go to individuals, families and businesses first, then move from there,” Mosher said. “There are people everywhere in the state and especially here in dire straits roads full of rocks and mud in basements. People that have propane tanks that floated and spilled, so there’s some hazardous situations.”
Mosher has been with her crew delivering equipment to flooded houses and checking in on isolated people. She said in the wake of the devastation there are some bright spots as communities’ band together.
“I just delivered about 15 dehumidifiers and fans over to the Jamaica work area and it’s amazing how towns and people are coming together,” Mosher said. “We are looking for central points of contact where families in need are going to and it’s mostly the churches or the town clerk’s office. We’re making sure we’re connected with them just so that we know the families that are in need.”
Mosher said the need for donations is great and that the success of the outreach depends on private donors.
“We’ve got some people that are stranded; they’re just stuck in their driveways, they’re disconnected from their homes,” Mosher said. “We are holding an Aug. 19 fundraiser with details to be posted to our website, WCAX and all kids of people will be there with live music.”
For more information about donation or flood aid, please go to http://strattonfoundation.org/.
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