Recent News

Toms River, NJ (April 26, 2013) – Hometown Heroes is currently working with Toms River Township to distribute a $400,000 grant from the Robin Hood Relief Fund for the sole purpose of supporting the community of Toms River in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. The goal of this project is to assist applicants that were residents of Toms River at the time of the storm and return them to their homes. Donations raised from 12-12-12 The Concert for Sandy Relief held at Madison Square Garden raised more than $50 million people to help residents of the tri-state area recover from the devastation. “Hometown Heroes is a great example of a community-based organization that is helping people devastated by Hurricane Sandy get back into their homes,” said Sunny Longbons, program officer for Robin Hood. Funds will be distributed by Hometown Heroes, and those in need of assistance can find the application for this specific grant on Hometown Heroes’ website, www.njhometownheroes.org.

For families who qualify, aid is available to relieve residents of some of the financial hardships incurred by families who were displaced by Hurricane Sandy. Financial assistance is available towards home clean-up, home contents, repair or remediation. This grant can only be used for the assistance of individuals and not businesses. Funds from the Robin Hood Relief Fund may only be used to assist those with relatively limited means whose primary home suffered damage (not secondary or vacation home) and for whom FEMA and insurance are insufficient to return them to safe and stable housing. Assistance may be provided by way of paying bills incurred by families due to the storm, not by direct cash assistance.

In February 2013, Hometown Heroes began facilitating a grant of $300,000 from the Robin Hood Relief Fund for the Borough of Ocean Gate to help residents who were affected by Superstorm Sandy. Hometown Heroes will now serve as the agency for both Ocean Gate and Toms River Township. Founder of Hometown Heroes, Mike Schwartz, said, “We are thankful that this money granted by the Robin Hood Relief Fund will help to restore some of those lives affected.”

“As the Mayor of Toms River, I’m delighted that we’re the recipients of a grant from the Robin Hood Relief Fund. They’re a phenomenal organization and they’ve been helping those in need for over two decades. Based on the devastation inflicted from Superstorm Sandy, we have so many residents that are in need of assistance from basic housing and home repairs to furniture replacement. This $400,000 grant can help many residents receive the funds they are seeking right now. Toms River has decided to partner with Hometown Heroes, a local foundation, to distribute these funds to our residents. They are to be congratulated for their efforts since they provide such a needed service to our community. I encourage those seeking assistance to reach out to Hometown Heroes and apply for funding.”
- Mayor of Toms River, Thomas F. Kelaher

About NJ Hometown Heroes: Hometown Heroes is an incorporated organization founded in 2008 to provide assistance to the community at large. Hometown Heroes’ main purpose is to foster an environment of goodwill, generosity, and encouragement by supporting local communities when unexpected needs arise during a crisis without discrimination towards an individual’s ethnicity, gender, and age. The organization provides an opportunity for all of us to give back to the community through professional assistance, financial assistance, and advocacy. Hometown Heroes helps those in need, often with little or no time, to find a solution to a problem that at the time appears overwhelming. www.njhometownheroes.org

For interviews and other media inquiries, contact Susan Belfer at sbelfer@belfercom.com or call 732.239.1559. Visit www.njhometownheroes.org or www.robinhood.org/rhsandy for additional information.