Becca Telzak, Deputy Director of Make The Road NY, one of the seven community partners helping New Yorkers with the application process, said they had received around 2,000 calls during the first wave of applications, and have helped secure around $1 million for the victims. Some individuals have also been referred to FEMA after they were found eligible during the screening phase.

“They never would have imagined they could be eligible for some sort of funding like this. And to get checks for …  what their loss and damage was, they are very relieved,” Telzak said, adding that they have continued to do outreach in the community.