City advocacy groups and congressional representatives shouted a wake-up call yesterday to a floundering federal 9/11 assistance program.
The Individual and Family Grants program falls short of meeting applicants needs, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan) said at a news conference.
IFG’s average $1,039 in individual aid is less than half of what similar disaster programs elsewhere provide – and the New York program’s arduous application process and short deadlines keep aid from many who need it, Maloney said.
Many Chinatown and lower Manhattan residents didn’t file for the grants because they didn’t understand the application process, said Laine Romero-Alston, director of communications at Urban Justice Center.
“People who are falling through the cracks aren’t getting the help they need,” Romero-Alston said.