Sea Bright rising helps with vital needs

Sea Bright — The non-profit organization Sea Bright Rising can offer assistance to residents who require help with vital issues. At Tuesday’s Borough Council meeting, Ilene Winters, an organizer of the group founded to help the borough after Superstorm Sandy, said that it has a three-tiered plan.

The first is to help residents get back on their feet. The next will be to help businesses. Finally will be to help rebuild other parts of the borough, such as parks. Right now they’re still addressing the first issue. “The residents right now have needs that are sometimes life threatening,” Winters said. She had spoken to one woman whose home was infested with black mold, but had nowhere else to stay. She’s talked to others who can’t find needed housing, or have no furniture.  Sea Bright Rising does not give money directly to applicants, but will help them out if they need to pay bills. They’ve set up accounts at a furniture store to help residents replace bedrooms and kitchens that were destroyed. Winters said that applicants need to be specific when they’re applying — if they need help with getting furniture, rentals, or something else. Many are so overwhelmed they don’t know where to begin. “I’ll get a request, ‘I need help.’ I can’t write a check to ‘Help,’” she said. Sea Bright Rising is also only funding urgent financial and life-threatening issues. “We can pay bills,” she said. “We’re not paying for Christmas presents, or anything that’s frivolous.” Applications for help from Sea Bright rising are available online, at seabrightrising.org (where you can also donate to help others), or at Borough Hall