Vermont’s Disaster Case Management Program, which helps people recover from Tropical Storm Irene, was supposed to wrap up its work at the end of August, by the second year anniversary of the flood.
But the program just got word FEMA will extend the program’s funding.
Bob Costantino, who directs the program, says there are still people recovering from Irene who are calling, for the first time, looking for help.
“People tended to say initially ‘I don’t really need the help, help my neighbor’”, said Costantino. “And then people saw later on that they did need help.”
When it started in 2012, the Disaster Case Management Program was handling more than 700 cases. Costantino says now most have been closed.
“I think that we have done an incredible job in Vermont,” said Costantino.
"When we talk about the system that we have together in this state; with local support, the work that the Long Term Recovery Committees have done and then you couple that with state funding and the federal funding, FEMA really looks at us as a model to be replicated in other places.”
The additional funding from FEMA will allow the case management program to continue through the end of November.
