Schoharie Area Long Term, Inc (SALT) has been selected to receive funding under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 2012 Community Resilience Innovation Challenge Program.
The program is focused on building local community resilience to man-made and natural disasters, with an emphasis on innovation, collaboration with community stakeholders, sustainability, repeatability and measurable benefits to the community.
Over 1,900 applications were submitted by organizations across the county.
SALT and 29 other organizations received the award, including three in New York State.
According to FEMA, this year's award recipients are recognized for programs designed to continue to move community preparedness forward, and assist local areas in building and revitalizing community-based partnerships to advance the nation's resilience to disaster.
The program is funded by The Rockefeller Foundation and administered by the Los Angeles Emergency Preparedness Foundation who acted as a third-party intermediary to encourage local communities to engage in creative activities that enhance disaster resilience.
SALT will be using this funding to leverage existing resources to meet continuing unmet needs.
"The comprehensive approach to recovery that we employ, based on the leveraging of available community resources, national partnerships, new technology, and effective use of volunteers is replicable," SALT Executive Director, Sarah Goodrich, reports.
"We are pleased that SALT's model is being recognized by FEMA."