Hurricane Sandy Relief Information

AARP Foundation

12/11/12, Submitted by Jo Ann Jenkins - President

Q 1:   What is the approximate dollar amount of donations and pledges that
          your organization has received to date in response to Hurricane Sandy?

A 1:    As of Dec. 9, 2012, AARP Foundation has recorded $728,298 in donations from the
          public.
 
          AARP and its affiliates have pledged a 100% match against contributions up to
          $750,000, raising the total pledged amount to date to $1,456,596.

Q 2:   Will these funds be used solely for Hurricane Sandy relief? If not,
          approximately what portion will be used for Hurricane Sandy relief and
          what other purposes will funds be used for?

A 2:    Yes, the funds will be used solely for Hurricane Sandy relief. AARP Foundation is
          distributing all of the funds in the form of grants to the American Red Cross and
          local charitable organizations to be used to assist victims of Hurricane Sandy to
          secure (including but not limited to) necessary food, shelter and utility assistance.
          All of the grant agreements specify that funds must be used for Sandy relief efforts
          and any funds unused by the conclusion of the grant term must be returned to AARP
          Foundation.

Q 3:   Approximately how much has your organization spent to date on Hurricane
          Sandy relief?

A 3:    As of Dec. 11,2012, AARP Foundation has awarded $1,457,000 in grants to 45 charitable
          organizations in the seven states hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy. Of this commitment,
          19 organizations are based in New York and providing relief efforts to victims of the
          storm in New York. The other 26 organizations are in Connecticut, New Jersey,
          Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Rhode Island, or work in multiple affected states.
          Please see also the answer to Question 5, below.

Q 4:   What services has your organization provided to those affected by Hurricane
          Sandy? What populations or geographical areas are being served by your
          organization in response to Hurricane Sandy? What services does it expect to
          provide in the future?

A 4:    AARP Foundation is not providing and does not expect to provide direct services to
          those affected by Hurricane Sandy. As mentioned above, AARP Foundation established the
          AARP Foundation Superstorm Sandy Relief Fund, and will grant all of the funds raised
          to select charitable organizations working to support victims and communities impacted
          by the storm, especially organizations dedicated to serving older adults. Grants have
          been awarded to the American Red Cross to support its relief work in the affected
          states and to local charitable organizations in seven states: Connecticut, New Jersey,
          New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Rhode Island. 
 
          AARP Foundation is supporting a diverse group of local community organizations
          providing a broad range of services to those in need and in particular, the vulnerable
          50+. AARP Foundation focused on giving grants to organizations that could help meet
          the basic needs of those affected in four areas: hunger, housing, income and personal
          connection. The charitable organizations AARP Foundation selected in New York serve a
          broad geographic area that includes Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and
          Nassau and Suffolk counties. Some of these organizations are focusing on short-term
          relief and providing immediate needs such as food, water, etc. Other organizations are
          focusing on potential long term support such as legal services. Specific examples of
          these organizations' work range from helping seniors in a low income apartment complex
          in Port Richmond, Staten Island clean up the mold and mildew from flooded apartments,
          to bringing in benefits specialists to hard-hit communities to screen clients for
          eligibility in public assistance programs.
          

Q 5:   Has your organization provided funding to other organizations for Hurricane
          Sandy relief efforts? If so, which organizations have received those funds
          and what is the approximate dollar amount provided to them? How does
          your organization determine the need for funding?

A 5:    Yes. AARP Foundation has provided funding, in the form of grants, to the American Red
          Cross and local charitable organizations in seven states for hurricane Sandy relief
          efforts. Grantees were identified based on the extent of the impact they are making in
          helping victims of Hurricane Sandy. Organizations were awarded grant amounts
          commensurate with the breadth and scope of the relief efforts they are providing.
          After the organization is identified, AARP Foundation thoroughly vets the potential
          grantee through third-party resources such as GuideStar and Lexis-Nexis to ensure that
          each organization is a Section 501(c)(3) charity in good standing before a grant is
          awarded. The organizations funded and amounts awarded are listed in the table below. 
 
          The New York charitable organizations include:   
 
          Medicare Rights Center $5,000 (paid)
          Hispanic Federation $5,000 (paid)
          Asian American Federation $10,000 (paid)
          Met Council on Poverty $10,000 (paid)
          Health and Welfare Council of Long Island $20,000 (pledged)
          City Meals on Wheels $25,000 (paid)
          Senior Housing Resource Corp. $5,000 (pledged)
          Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens $50,000 (pledged)
          Volunteers of Legal Services $10,000 (paid)
          Council of Senior Centers and Services $20,000 (paid)
          Food Bank for NYC $25,000 (paid)
          Urban League of NYC $5,000 (pledged)
          NAACP of NY $5,000 (pledged)
          The New York Firefighters Disaster Relief Fund, Inc $50,000 (pledged)
          New York City Police Foundation $50,000 (paid)
          Make the Road New York $5,000 (pledged)
          City Harvest $20,000 (pledged)
          Legal Services for New York City $10,000 (pledged)
          Nassau/Suffolk Law Services $10,000 (pledged)
 
          In addition to the charitable organizations in New York, AARP Foundation has also
          provided grants to the following organizations:
 
          Connecticut:
          The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Inc., Stamford ($10,000/pledged)
          St. Stephens' Food Pantry, Bridgeport ($12,000/paid)
          Community Dining Room, Branford ($5,000/pledged)
          Connecticut Food Bank ($30,000/pledged)
          Salvation Army of Connecticut ($5,000/paid)
          United Way Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund ($20,000/pledged)
          Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut ($10,000/pledged)
 
          Delaware:
          American Red Cross: Delmarva Region ($5,000/paid)
 
          Maryland:
          Garret County Community Action Committee, Inc. ($5,000/paid)
          Maintaining Active Citizens (MAC), Area Agency on Aging ($5,000/paid)
          Food Research and Action Center, Inc. ($50,000/paid)
 
          New Jersey:
          Community Food Bank of New Jersey ($85,000/paid)
          The Salvation Anny of New Jersey ($75,000/paid)
          Catholic Charities - Trenton Diocese ($50,000/paid)
          Toms River Police Foundation ($50,000/pledged)
          The New Jersey Police Chiefs Foundation ($50,000/paid)
          Northeast New Jersey Legal Services ($10,000/pledged)
          Ocean-Monmouth Legal Services ($10,000/pledged)
          South Jersey Legal Services ($10,000/pledged)
 
          Pennsylvania:
          Stroudsburg Rotary Foundation ($5,000/paid)
          World Vision ($5,000/pledged)
 
          Rhode Island:
          Serve Rhode Island ($5,000/paid)
          The Salvation Anny, Providence Corps ($5,000/pledged)
 
          National:
          American Red Cross ($500,000/paid)
          Meals on Wheels Association of America ($50,000/paid)
          Feeding America ($50,000/paid)

Q 6:   Has your organization provided, or does it intend to provide, direct financial
          assistance to individuals, families or businesses for Hurricane Sandy relief?
          If so, what is the approximate dollar amount that your organization
          has provided to date and approximately how much direct financial assistance
          does it expect to provide in the future? How does your organization
          determine the need for assistance?

A 6:    No. AARP Foundation has not and does not intend to provide direct financial assistance
          to individuals, families or businesses for Hurricane Sandy relief. AARP Foundation
          makes grants exclusively to qualified 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. For the AARP
          Foundation Superstorm Sandy Relief Fund, grants are made only to organizations
          directly assisting the victims of the hurricane.

Q 7:   Does your organization have a plan in place on how to use any surplus funds
          not spent for Hurricane Sandy relief? If so, please describe that plan.

A 7:    At this time, AARP Foundation has no surplus funds. We do have a plan for the
          distribution of any surplus funds that may be generated from fundraising going
          forward. AARP Foundation intends to use all of the funds raised for Hurricane Sandy
          relief, as the Foundation recognizes its responsibility to donors to use the funds for
          the purpose for which they were solicited. Any surplus funds remaining after the
          original grants are awarded will be given to charitable organizations in the form of
          grants to assist the victims of Hurricane Sandy, in the same manner as the original
          funds were granted (as described above). All of the grant agreements specify that
          funds must be used for Sandy relief efforts and any funds unused by the expiration of
          the grant term must be returned to AARP Foundation. These funds will then be
          redistributed to other charitable organizations for Sandy relief efforts.

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