Jersey Shore Magazine

j e r s e y s h o r e • s p r i n g 2 0 1 4 15 15 SANDY UPDATE T hanks to reality TV, New Jersey has become synonymous with a variety of negative stereotypes. (Snookie, anyone?) But what the media doesn't always portray is how generous and caring Jersey natives are to their neighbors. At no time was this more evident than after Superstorm Sandy. Individuals and families reached deep into their pockets in an effort to help those devastated by the storm. Millions were raised—a testament of Jersey generosity. Just looking at the bottom line of these donations, one would assume that everyone in need has been helped. However, Michael Schwartz, president of the Toms River-based charity, Hometown Heroes, can't help but wonder where the money went. "Of all the millions of dollars raised, I always ask, which percentage of the people affected by Sandy actu- ally has access to that money? This Sandy Charities: Where Did The Money Go? An interview with Michael Schwartz of Hometown Heroes Michael Schwartz, founder and president, Hometown Heroes. Jessica Cirz concerns me because we hear their stories every day. People are angry, and they have every right to be," Schwartz said. Based upon the sheer volume of applications coming into Hometown Heroes, a year-plus after Sandy, it is evident that people are still hurting. Many don't qualify for aid from other organizations due to financial restric- tions. These "invisible victims"— mainly middle-class residents—are looking for help and are confused as to why they aren't a priority. We talked with Schwartz to get his perspective on charity after Sandy and how his organization is stepping up to help those who have been dis- enfranchised. What is the state of affairs for most people today affected by Sandy? I was just at a friend's house the other day to check up on her storm progress…she pulled me aside and pointed across the street. The homes all looked fine. She proceeded to tell me that the house across the street was bank owned, the one next to it was walked away from by the owner, and so on, and so on. It's not the damage you see, it's the damage you don't see. Most people (especially outside of our area) see pictures of our boardwalk returning to its glory, et cetera, and think that we are all OK and everything is back to normal. How are middle class people the "invisible" Sandy victims? The middle class, or people making above roughly $40,000 a year, have really gotten a raw deal with Sandy relief. A lot of "pass-through" organi- zations donate to charities that have guidelines this low and most of the homeowners don't qualify for help. Some requirements are higher—but let's face it, if you own a home on the Jersey Shore, your household income negates you from getting any help. Take a family of four whose household income is $90,000. Try paying a mortgage on a home that you can't live in and then come up with a security deposit and rent every month to keep a roof over your family's head. Then try to figure out how you can afford to lift your home while fighting with insurance com- panies and chasing grant and charity money around to no end. Take the same family and throw in a medical problem or something else, and the frustration gets worse. continued on page 16

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