Bank foundation launches N.H. flood assistance fund

The Citizens Bank Foundation will contribute $50,000 to Southwestern Community Services in Keene to establish an emergency assistance fund for households hit by flooding in southwestern New Hampshire.

“It’s hard to comprehend the devastation that residents in the region are experiencing,” said Thomas Metzger, president and CEO of Citizens Bank New Hampshire. “By establishing this emergency assistance fund we hope that families and individuals can begin to repair their homes, or meet some of the immediate needs to recover from this disaster.”

Southwestern Community Services Inc., which will administer the fund, has begun accepting applications for assistance. The fund is targeted to low- and moderate-income households that were affected by flooding across the region.

Priority consideration will be given to those who are at or below 80 percent of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development area median income, which for a family of four in Sullivan and Cheshire counties is $48,250.

Eligible households can apply for up to $1,000 in grant assistance for a wide array of hardships, including emergency home repairs, food vouchers, car repairs, loan payments, relocation expenses and other appropriate flood expenses. Priority will be given to individuals who have been displaced to allow them to return to their homes, said Bill Marcello, executive director of Southwestern Community Services.

“We will work with each individual family to provide assistance that is most appropriate to their specific circumstances,” said Marcello. “The goal of this fund is to provide immediate resources to help families and individuals who are most in need get back on their feet.”

For more information, call 800-529-0005.