The American Red Cross has awarded a $250,000 grant to Make the Road New York to provide Sandy recovery services to the Midland Beach area with a focus on helping vulnerable communities, including immigrants and low-income households.

The funding will be used to deliver long-term recovery assistance to 90 clients. Make the Road New York’s Recovery Support Services will assist with provisions of housing support and coordination. The grant will fund two full-time case managers, an outreach coordinator and a program assistant for 12 months.

“For most people the recovery has barely even started,” said Deborah Axt, co-executive director of Make the Road New York, noting renters especially are struggling to find safe housing, facing increasing rents and struggling to meet basic needs for their families.

Josh Lockwood, CEO of Red Cross Greater New York Region, said his organization “is proud to partner with Make the Road New York to help some of the most vulnerable families in Staten Island.”

Soon after Sandy struck, Make the Road New York opened a satellite office in Midland Beach — one of the Island neighborhoods hardest hit — to help immigrants and low-income workers navigate recovery resources. Families with undocumented immigration status are ineligible for FEMA aid and also often face language barriers.

The organization’s response to Superstorm Sandy is the largest U.S. Red Cross operation in more than five years. As of December 31, the Red Cross has spent or committed $287 million of the $309 million in donations for Sandy emergency relief and recovery.

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