Politics & Government

Mary Pat Christie, in Brick, Announces Sandy Financial Center Grant

Operation Restore Hope will open an office in Brick to help storm victims plan out their finances and fill out grant, loan applications

New Jersey First Lady Mary Pat Christie came to Brick Monday to announce a $600,000 grant to Operation Restore Hope, a nonprofit organization that will work with Superstorm Sandy victims in the area of financial planning.

The funding will come from Christie's Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund, which has raised approximately $33 million since it was founded in the days after the storm struck, Christie said.

Operation Restore Hope will open an office at Civic Plaza in Brick, which is where Christie made her announcement Monday morning.

Find out what's happening in Brickwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Operation Restore Hope is going to go a long way toward making the people of the community of Brick very successful in navigating these challenges," said Christie.

The organization, a representative said, works to help families and individuals make it through financial challenges following a disaster. The Brick office, for example, will offer face to face meetings and appointments with professionals to assist residents in applying for grants and loans, as well as more personal issues such as whether to raise one's home, demolish a building or look to other options.

Find out what's happening in Brickwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The organization is described as the "only financial emergency preparedness and recovery service in the country."

Christie said the grant should also fund other Operation Hope offices in the state, though Brick's office will be the first to open since the township donated the space in the Recreational Center at Civic Plaza.

Christie said her charity is now tackling the task of beginning to distribute the money raised after the storm, and an additional $6 million in grants are due to be awarded by the end of the month.

The exact opening date of the Brick financial center was not announced Monday.


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