Don't 'Leave Any Money On The Table,' Seniors Told

Almost a year after Sandy, an 85-year-old resident of the Cherry Quay section of Brick Township is still waiting for funds.

She said she has spoken with 14 people and has been passed around from worker over the past year to try to get grant funding to help repair her home, after 1 foot of water came rushing in the front door and forced her to gut her home of 50 years.

The woman, who asked that Patch not identify her for fear that it would further delay her getting funds, came to a meeting at the Brick Senior Center, where Lt. Kim Guadagno and State Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff were urging seniors to take advantage of various funding resources that were available to them, including Sandy funds, the Homestead Benefit, and unclaimed money.

When the woman told Guadagno of her troubles in getting Sandy funding, Guadagno responded by having an aide get her information and give her a card, so she said that the issue can be discussed on a one-to-one basis.

Although the woman said she was happy that the lieutenant governor showed interest in helping her, she remained unconvinced that the issue would be resolved in a quick fashion, because of her struggles up until now.

After Guadagno left, the woman shared with Patch some of those struggles. She said she couldn't live in her home for three months after the storm, and instead lived with family during that time.

She said that FEMA money came through in that three-month window, which enabled her to "get to the house back to livable."

But she said regarding additional funding, even if she gets the funding, she remains unconvinced she will spend it.

"I read in the paper work that if I die in less than three years time of getting the money my family will have to repay it," the woman said."What good is that?"

Other seniors in attendance at today's event had similar concerns, noting that although the resources to get funding might be available, they are difficult to navigate.

One senior noted that in many his peers don't have access to computers, thus limiting their abilities to file for some of the funding that the state is urging them to collect.

Regardless, Sidamon-Eristoff said it is important for seniors to see if they qualify for funding. He said that one in eight seniors will qualify for unclaimed funds. He added that they should not "leave any money on the table."

Only a handful of people attempted to access unclaimed funds at the event today and none of them had unclaimed funds.

To see if you have unclaimed money, click here.