The Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund has announced fifteen grants totaling more than $3.7 million to nonprofit organizations working to address long-term recovery needs in coastal communities affected by the storm.

Having received 138 grant applications, the fund's board also voted to double, to $10 million, the amount disbursed in this grant cycle, with additional grants to be announced later this month. The latest grant recipients include Coastal Habitat for Humanity, which was awarded $714,000 to help rebuild and repair homes; Operation HOPE, which was awarded $600,000 in support of Project Restore HOPE: Hurricane Sandy, an initiative to help victims of the storm apply for federal aid; the Volunteer Center of Bergen County, which was awarded $400,000 in support of mold remediation projects; and Portlight Strategies, which will receive $250,000 to provide and improve access to homes newly raised above revised floodplain levels for people with disabilities.

"Those with disabilities have been historically underserved in times of disaster and could be permanently forced out of their homes without proper access, particularly if homes are raised based on new building guidelines," said Portlight Strategies board chair Paul Timmons. "For those who are forced out, finding accessible, affordable housing can be an even greater challenge. This funding is an enormous gift which will [be used to] help construct wheelchair ramps, vertical lifts, and replace medical equipment so those with disabilities can remain independent and stay in their homes."

The fund, which has been criticized for moving slowly, announced six grants totaling $1 million in support of county-level long-term recovery committees in early March. "It's an honor to partner with these wonderful organizations that are on the ground providing services for Sandy victims," said Mary Pat Christie, board chair of the fund and the wife of New Jersey governor Chris Christie. "This support is only made possible by the generosity of tens of thousands of individual and corporate donors who answered the call to help total strangers in need. We'll have additional grant awards soon and look forward to continuing to be an ongoing resource over the long term for New Jersey's recovery effort."

For a complete list of grant recipients, visit the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund Web site.