NEW YORK – FEMA has obligated nearly $335,000 to reimburse Temple Tikvah in Nassau County for costs associated with emergency protective measures following remnants of Hurricane Ida. This is just one step FEMA has taken to help houses of worship in the state of New York recover and rebuild.
Located in New Hyde Park, N.Y., Temple Tikvah (“hope”) serves congregants from Queens and Nassau counties. Like many other homes and businesses across the region, the Temple sustained damage from the heavy rains Ida brought to the Northeast. Social gatherings, religious ceremonies and religious instruction were put on hold. Hallways, classrooms and the place where worshippers feel closest to their spiritual selves – their sanctuary -- was under water.
“FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program is a vital resource for state, tribal, eligible local governments and certain private nonprofits (PNP) to cover disaster-related expenses,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Lai Sun Yee. “Funding plays a critical role for private non-profits and houses of worship. The need for additional funding to support cleanup and repairs after a disaster can be overwhelming for these groups in particular, as insurance may not cover some of these costs.”
Temple Tikvah, a first-time applicant for FEMA disaster assistance, represents a tight-knit community who was devastated by the severe damage to the place they call home.
Through FEMA’s PA program, this recent obligation will help the Temple recover costs associated with the removal of water from inside the building. This is just one of several projects that have been approved for this applicant.
The Temple has additional projects in process with FEMA including reimbursement for debris removal, mold remediation and permanent work that covers the repair and/or replacement of the building and its contents.
FEMA’s PA program enables communities to quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies. Houses of worship owned or operated by PNP organizations may be eligible applicants if their facilities were damaged or destroyed by a disaster.
Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis of 75 percent of eligible costs for Public Assistance. The remaining 25 percent comes from non-federal funds.
The Request for Public Assistance application period has closed for Hurricane Ida in all eligible counties. However, FEMA continues to work with the state of New York to support ongoing recovery.
Learn more about FEMA’s Public Assistance program and prepare for future disasters, visit fema.gov/assistance/public/program-overview.
For official information on New York’s recovery effort, visit fema.gov/disaster/4615. Follow FEMA on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion2 and at facebook.com/fema.