Immediate Mental Health Resources
911
For urgent and immediate health and safety issues, dial 911.
Disaster Mental Health Hotline
877-294-HELP
This toll-free hotline is funded by Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services
and is available 24/7.
Crisis Counseling Hotline/Support Services
800-985-5990
This toll free hotline is also available 24/7 to those in need of services.
211 (211)
www.nj211.org/hurricane.cfm
211 is offering a wealth of information regarding hurricane relief including but not limited to: outage updates, gas stations, drinking water advisories, municipal announcements, state and local resources, emotional support, volunteer and donations, shelters, disaster unemployment assistance, disaster recovery centers in addition to their primary function as a 24/7 hotline for public health information, and mental health and social service resources/referrals.
Sesame Street Hurricane Episode http://www.sesamestreet.org/parents/theshow/episodes/the-hurricane
Sesame Street aired an episode available online in which a storm hits the town. It is a great resource to help children understand the incident and shows how the characters process its emotional impact.
After the Storm
http://www.7-dippity.com/docs/After_The_Storm_(2008_Internet_Edition).pdf
This booklet assists parents in helping their children cope in the aftermath of a hurricane.
Property Damage/Emergency Relief
Hurricane Resource Guide
http://www.nj211.org/images/HurricaneSandy/NJ211HurricaneSandyResourceGuide.pdf
211 has produced a resource guide following Hurricane Sandy which provides an overview of immediate assistance, insurance/FEMA information, local county resources, returning home and cleaning up, repairs and rebuilding, information about donations and hotline numbers.
Private Insurance
Homeowners or home renters insurance has a 24/7 call number that can be used to report damages to obtain information on your coverage. Additionally, your flood insurance provider has a call number which can also be contacted. If you cannot locate the company or agent's number, or to report complaints about insurance, call the state Department of Banking and Insurance 800-446-7467 or go to www.dobi.nj.gov.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
800-621-FEMA(3362)
http://www.fema.gov/apply-assistance
For the costs that are not covered by your insurance, this number can be used for emergency relief and damage assessments. Call to file a claim for the damage to your home.
Red Cross Hotline
800-733-2767
www.redcross.org
The Red Cross provides a network of donors, volunteers and employees who share a mission of preventing and relieving suffering. Trained Red Cross workers often meet one-on-one with families to develop individual plans and identify available resources to help aid recovery. The Red Cross is providing temporary shelters to those who have lost their homes. The Red Cross website updates its current shelter locations every thirty minutes.
The Salvation Army
703-684-5500
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org
The Salvation Army is serving those impacted by Hurricane Sandy in the Northeast with food, clean-up kits, as well as emotional and spiritual care.
Center for Vocational Rehabilitation
Monmouth County: 732-544-1800
Ocean County: 732-244-7511
Center for Vocational Rehabilitation is serving as a distribution and information center regarding FEMA information, 211 information, operating food pantries, meal information, Sandy Service locations, Red Cross Shelters, etc.
Kars4Kids
877-kars4kids
www.kars4kids.org
Kars4kids is offering to take cars damaged in Hurricane Sandy at no charge and in a quick and efficient manner plus will give owners a tax deductible receipt. Additionally they will assist people with replacing lost title and lien release documents so they have one thing less to worry about as they return to their homes and day to day life. Those interested can call any time, and the staff have extended late and weekend hours and have extra tow crews in affected areas.
HEFCU
800-624-3312
www.hefcu.com
For Healthcare Employees, HEFCU offers Emergency Assistance Loans for up to $3,000; 3.0 % APR with no payments for 90 days available through December 15, 2012; Special Assistance Auto Loans for up to $50,000 with rates as low as 2.49% APR for cars purchased through Enterprise Car Sales and 2.99% APR for all other car purchase; and Special Assistance Homeowner Loans from $20,000-$200,000 fixed rate of 2.8% APR for first 5 years.
Volunteer Assistance
211 (2-1-1)
To request volunteer assistance, contact 211 or go online at www.nj211.org
Business Action Center/Governor's Office of Volunteerism, Department of State
To provide volunteer assistance in the cleanup and restoration effort call 800-JERSEY-7 (800-537-7397); 609-775-5236; 908-303-0471.
Electricity
If you continue to be without power, or to report a downed electrical line, it is important to contact your electricity provider:
- JCP&L: 888-544-4877
- PSE&G: 800-436-7734
- AC Electric: 800-833-7476
- Rockland Electric Company: 877-434-4100
- Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative: 877-504-6463
- Vineland Municipal Utilities: 856-794-4280
Gas
To report a gas leak, contact your local provider:
- New Jersey Natural Gas: 800-427-5325
- PSE&G: 800-436-7734
For Complaints about electric/gas utilities, call Board of Public Utilities 800-624-0241 or 609-341-9188.
Rental Assistance
The following Faith-Based Organizations offer rental assistance in Monmouth County:
- Salvation Army, Red Bank: 732-747-1626
- Calico Cat: 732-671-0550
- Check Mate: 732-774-3100
- Community Outreach Group: 732-671-8775
- Freehold Area Open Door: 732-780-1089
- Hope at Freehold Township: 732-294-2048
- Interfaith Neighbors: 732-775-5155
- Middletown Helps Its Own: 732-787-3604
- Project Paul: 732-787-4887
- Samaritan Center: 732-446-1142
- St. Vincent de Paul Society at Holy Family Church: 732-264-8132
- St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Michael's Church: 732-483-0360
Tax Appeals
Even though a tax appeal must generally be filed by September 30th, in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, New Jersey law provides for potential property tax relief for properties that experience "material depreciation" between October 1 and January 1 for the subsequent tax year. The applicable statute is found at 54:4-35.1.
For example, Superstorm Sandy may have caused severe damage to a home in Neptune, New Jersey on October 29, 2012, resulting in a material depreciation in the value of the home. Because this material depreciation took place between October 1, 2012, and January 1, 2013, the Neptune assessor, provided that notice from the property owner is given by December 31, 2013, is then required by law to re-assess the value of the property as of January 1, 2013, and that new assessment will be the basis for property tax payments in the 2013 year.
This notice, which must be filed by December 31, 2012, should be done by the property owner by letter to the appropriate assessor.
Complaint Reporting
Insurance Companies
800-446-7467
To report complaints about insurance companies, contact Department of Banking and Insurance.
Gas/Electric
800-624-0241 or 609-341-9188
To report complaints about gas/electric utilities, contact Board of Public Utilities.
Consumer Fraud/Price Gouging
862-209-0130 or 973-220-3474
To report consumer fraud or price gouging by contractors or others, contact the state Division of Consumer Affairs.
