Schenectady Foundation adds to flood aid fund

PHOTOGRAPHER: Justin Mason

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Flood relief efforts in Schenectady County just got a financial boost.

The Schenectady Foundation has announced that it is committing $75,000 in additional funding for the Rebuilding Families Fund, a pot of money established to provide families and households with assistance for long-term recovery needs resulting from last summer’s devastating flooding. Up to $50,000 of the grant will be a dollar-for-dollar match of contributions from donors.

As of this month, the foundation will contribute a dollar for every dollar donated to the fund. That could bring upwards of $100,000 in flood relief, said Robert Carreau, the foundation’s executive director.

How to help

Contributions may be sent to the Schenectady County Rebuilding Families Fund, in care of The Schenectady Foundation, 376 Broadway, Schenectady, N.Y. 12305. Donations are also being accepted online at www.schenectadyfoundation.org.

“We knew when we started this program that the recovery would require many months, if not years,” he said. “Our hope is that the matching grant will stimulate more awareness in the community as to the continuing need and increase contributions at a critical time in the recovery effort.”

To date, the foundation has spent more than $325,000 on recovery needs around the county.

These costs included building materials, furnaces and boilers, installation of electric and heating systems, flooring, wallboard and insulation.

Significant support was also provided for the day-to-day needs of flood victims. The effort has leveraged significant volunteer time and in-kind donations of products to help rebuild affected homes.

Still, more money is needed. The coalition projects that another $200,000 in cash and in-kind donations will be required to complete its mission of helping families get back into their homes.

So far, the coalition has helped more than 30 families bring their homes back to a livable state. But 40 more homes still need work.

“We anticipate that we have at least six more months of work ahead of us to move more families safely into their homes,” Carreau said.

“Each dollar, volunteer hour and in-kind donation is urgently needed.”

Flood relief got another boost from a Schenectady-based motorcycle club, which hosted a fundraising event at the Rotterdam Junction Fire Department last month. Members of the Roamers MC presented the fire department with a check for more than $2,000 Monday earmarked to help assist victims of the flood.