News Releases Archive

Update on Status of Unmet Needs of 9/11 Victims: Religious Leaders & Faith-Based Agencies Advocate for Equitable Use of Remaining Funds to Address Community Needs

“Are We Keeping Faith With 9/11Victims?” A Review of Areas of Unmet Needs

Speakers:
Peter Gudaitis, Executive Director, New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS)
Daniel H. Bush, Director of 9/11 Long-Term Recovery & Victim Advocacy, NYDIS
John J. Scibilia, Executive Director, Lutheran Disaster Response New York
Rev. Dr. Ramon Nieves, Head of Mission, United Methodist Committee on Relief
(UMCOR), President of the Board of Directors, NYDIS
Adem Carroll, Relief Coordinator, Islamic Circle of North America, (ICNA)
Scottie Hill, Mount Sinai Medical Center
Lida Mora, Ground Zero Recovery Worker

9/11 Caseworkers:
Leydis de la Cruz, Alianza Dominicana
Awilda Gonzalez, Salvation Army
Hazan Raza, ICNA

Lower Manhattan Clergy:
Father Kevin Madigan, St. Peters Church
Rabbi Jonathan Glass, Civic Center Synagogue
Bettina Damiani, Project Director, Good Jobs New York

Remarks:
Ramon Nieves, Head of Mission, UMCOR:
“The Roundtable is a collective approach to serving the hardest to reach victims, the undocumented, as well as people on the fringe of society.”

John J. Scibilia, Executive Director: 9/11 Unmet Needs: Then and Now
“Lutheran Disaster Response of New York initiated the NYC 9/11 Unmet Needs Roundtable in April 2002 as means of providing cash assistance to persons affected by 9/11. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) quickly joined LDRNY and others followed suit as the NYDIS report documents. The unmet needs process matches up good casework provided through established social service and disaster agencies with the funds needed to stabilize the client’s financial situation. It is a common method used in the wake of many disasters to leverage excellent social work and dollars available to assist individuals. These funds did not duplicate the existing September 11 Fund assistance, but rather met the needs of those who did not fit limited geographic or other eligibility criteria. For months after 9/11 there were also many individuals confused by the process of assistance, encountered language barriers or were not able to access the system due to immigration and documentation status.

Food, rent and other basic human needs were the primary requests received and funded in the first year. For many clients, just meeting the gap of a few months rent was all that was needed to get them on their feet again. The formula was simple and the needs of clients generally similar.

It became clear over time that unmet needs would continue to evolve during the long term recovery. Clients who participated in September 11 Fund job training programs successfully completed their work, yet have still not found a job. Recently a Florida emergency manager indicated “if there are no jobs, there is no recovery,” referring to hurricane disaster recovery in the community. Individuals experiencing severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and not able to work and often find themselves waiting months trying to access government disability and compensation programs. Recovery workers experiencing health issues as a result of their work confront the same frustration of a process that is sluggish in response to their need which is often as basic as food and rent. Individually owned and small business owners have struggled and gone under, particularly those located in or dependent upon a vital Lower Manhattan. Each time a new threat level is announced, these businesses which have struggled since 9/11 experience a decrease in business losing valuable ground in their recovery. Just as businesses have gone under, individuals with unmet needs related to 9/11 are in danger of going under. The NYC 9/11 Unmet Needs Roundtable process is a vital lifeline in bridging the gap for individuals between what they need and what they have available.”

Adem Carroll:
“As 911 Relief Coordinator for Islamic Circle of North America, based in Queens, NY, I have seen how important interfaith cooperation is to helping New York's most vulnerable communities. The post 9/11 backlash has taken many harsh forms here and around the USA, and many immigrants are afraid or unable to access any emergency services. Many of our Muslim, South Asian, African and Arab communities have needed culturally sensitive case management from community based services but also cash assistance to avoid eviction following the loss of jobs or family members. I also sit on the board of another community based group and have directly seen over 25 cases helped --lives put back on track. Because many of our agencies are very low on funding, the NYDIS-sponsored Unmet Needs Roundtable is an important case management tool and emergency resource for at risk families of New York City. NYDIS has great potential as an effective advocate for the underserved.”

Scottie Hill, Program Specialist for the Mount Sinai Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine's World Trade Center Health Effects Treatment Program:
"One of the primary ongoing needs of WTC responders and others affected in the wake of 9/11 is appropriate medical treatment services. While some private support has been generously made available for this purpose, there remains a critical need for funding to treat the chronic illnesses that our program still sees today as well as for those illnesses that might be diagnosed in the future. As to the array of social service needs faced by this population, NYDIS has been an important partner in helping us and our patients to obtain assistance to address these needs."

Bettina Damiani, Project Director, Good Jobs New York:
Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the New York Disaster Interfaith Services, many of those who were hit hardest by the attacks of September 11th have found compassion and respite. The agency's allocation of $3 million, in particular, to assist those who lost their jobs because of 9/11 is a critical component of our city's rebuilding. These funds have stabilized the lives of unemployed New Yorkers and will help them get back to work as quickly as possible. The efforts of NYDIS sets a standard by which we hope public officials will mirror as our city continues to recover.

To download the report, click here.

To see the NY1 coverage, click here.