Irene: Food stamps available to disaster victims, $2.4M provided for farmers

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Associated Press

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The state is providing $2.4 million to 125 farmers slammed by flooding and other damage from recent tropical storms.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the announcement Thursday at an Orange County farm hit hard by the flooding.

Cuomo says some regulations will also be suspended to allow for more financial assistance in rural areas throughout the upstate region hit by the storms.

Farmers lost buildings, livestock, crops in the field and in storage and top soil just as the harvest was beginning.

How to help

There are many ways to help the people, schools and organizations hurt by the floods. Here are some links and ideas:

“Project Hope”
American Red Cross
Capital Regionâs Online Farmersâ Market
Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York
Catholic Charities
Salvation Army
TimeShareVolunteers
Comprehensive roundup
To donate to the Schoharie or Middleburgh libraries, leave donations at the Open Door Bookstore in Schenectady, Market Block Books or the Book House in Colonie.

Cuomo has said 140,000-acres of prime upstate farmland sustained damaged by Tropical Storm Irene before Tropical Storm Lee hit less than two weeks later.

Meanwhile, food stamps are being made available to residents of 15 New York counties hit by flooding and other damage from tropical storms Irene and Lee.

The counties will accept applications for the disaster food stamp program for at least seven days.

The counties are Albany, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Greene, Montgomery, Orange, Schenectady, Schoharie, Ulster, and Westchester.

The program will be also be available to disaster victims in Broome, Delaware and Tioga counties beginning Friday and in Chenango and Otsego counties beginning Monday.

These counties will accept disaster food stamp benefit applications for at least a week at county offices.