Last night, some of rock’s biggest names performed at New York City’s Madison Square Garden for the “12-12-12” Hurricane Sandy benefit concert, which reportedly raised more than $50 million in ticket sales and sponsorships, to be distributed through the Robin Hood Foundation. That’s impressive, but it’s still a fraction of what’s been raised by both national and local charities over the past six weeks.
While not all organizations could provide exact numbers yet on where donations have been distributed, some short-term relief organizations have already exhausted their relief aid, while others, such as the United Way, which specializes in long-term relief, will continue to distribute their haul throughout 2013.
From the American Red Cross to the Brooklyn Recovery Fund, here are twelve of the most successful Sandy charities—together they’ve raised more than $300 million to help the storm’s victims.
1) American Red CrossAmount raised: $172 millionAmount spent: Approx. $110 million (through December)Where it goes: Food and shelter; relief essentials, such as cleaning supplies, flashlights, gloves and blankets, and personal-hygiene products; physical and mental health services; and casework assistance for individuals impacted by the storm.
2) 12-12-12 Concert (Robin Hood Foundation) Amount raised: Approx. $50 million (as of Dec. 13)Amount spent: N/AWhere it goes: N/A
3) The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York CityAmount raised: $40 millionAmount spent: $2 millionWhere it goes: Food and batteries; remaining funds will be distributed to city programs and housing for 40,000 people displaced during the storm.
4) The Salvation ArmyAmount raised: $14.1 million Amount spent: N/AWhere it goes: Serving 250,000 meals, distributing tens of thousands of food boxes and blankets; providing prayers and emotional care; providing meals for the evacuees housed in all eight of New York City’s special-needs shelters; distributing gift cards and clothing vouchers at Disaster Recovery Centers in the impacted areas; providing ongoing case management for victims of the disaster.
5) United Way Hurricane Sandy Relief FundAmount raised: $10 millionAmount spent: $100,000 of funds raised prior to Sandy have been distributed to non-profit community organizations serving storm victimsWhere it goes: Funds will flow to local United Way chapters serving FEMA declared disaster areas and be used to serve hurricane affected communities. $100,000 worth of grants have been made to a variety of community organizations such as the Bowery Mission and the Coney Island Lighthouse Mission. Money from the relief fund will be distributed beginning in mid-January 2013 to assist with intermediate and long-term recovery.
6) UJA-Federation of New YorkAmount raised: $14.3 millionAmount spent: $13.2 million (includes $10 million taken out of emergency reserves during first week after Sandy) Where it goes: To UJA-Federation’s network of 100 agencies. About 70 synagogues directly affected by the hurricane received direct cash and food assistance; scholarships were made available for Jewish families in Zone A and other areas affected by Sandy, as was cash assistance for Jewish day-school teachers living in storm-hit areas.
7) Save the ChildrenAmount raised: $1.6 million (combined cash and product donations)Amount spent: $718,000Where it goes: Emergency-response teams deployed to assess needs of children and families in New York and New Jersey immediately after the storm; basic necessities for those affected, such as food, baby blankets, clothing and hygiene supplies; assistance in rebuilding child-care centers and schools and providing psychosocial support programs for children and caregivers.
8) AmeriCaresAmount raised $3 millionAmount spent: $1.2 millionWhere it goes: Delivering medical aid and relief supplies and restoring medical services for storm victims; aid deliveries to shelters, aid distribution centers and nonprofit organizations assisting storm victims in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut; bottled water, diapers, sleeping bags, vaccine doses; $700,000 in grants to health-care facilities and nonprofit organizations assisting storm victims with health care services, disaster cleanup, and mold remediation.
9) New York CaresAmount raised: $2.03 millionAmount spent: $267,000Where it goes: Mobilized 12,000 volunteers to distribute meals, check on residents and clean out damaged homes in the hardest-hit parts of the city; appropriate safety and tools for cleanup, equipment and food supplies, and disaster training.
10) World VisionAmount raised: $1.84 millionAmount spent: $537,000 Where it goes: Immediate relief supplies, such as food, water, blankets, hygiene kits, and clean-up supplies in 10 geographic areas in the New York region and along the East Coast.
11) United Methodist Committee on ReliefAmount raised: ~$1.7 millionAmount spent: $500,000Where it goes: Local churches in all of the areas affected by the storm, from New York to Cuba. Remainder is being conserved for long-term relief.
12) The Brooklyn Recovery FundAmount Raised: $1.5 MillionAmount spent: $625,000Where it goes: Approximately $425,000 to fast-track relief in New York region; $200,000 in community-wide collaborative grants.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article reported incorrect amounts raised and spent by Save the Children. The numbers have been corrected.
