Rochester Getting Help to Financially Support Residents Affected by Major Disasters

Rochester is getting help with its disaster and emergency response preparedness.

The city was selected by the national nonprofit Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) as an inaugural city in its new Emergency Financial Empowerment (EFE) initiative. The EFE program will assist municipalities in building and expanding their emergency preparedness and response infrastructure by incorporating financial stability supports.

Basically, the program will help to make financial resources available to residents in the event of a natural disaster, public health crises, or other localized emergency.

“I’m excited to have our Office of Emergency Management and the Mayor’s Office Financial Empowerment work together to develop a thoughtful emergency preparedness and response plan that includes financial support resources to prepare city families for the potentially lasting impacts of an unexpected disaster or local emergency,” Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said.

Rochester is set to receive $150,000, joining four other cities Dallas, Texas; Gainesville, Fla.; St. Louis, Mo.; and St. Paul, Minn. who were competitively chosen for CFE Fund’s inaugural EFE cohort due to their demonstrated interest in identifying the role of local emergency management in household financial resilience.

Funds are being provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies as part of their Greenwood Initiative, a philanthropic effort that aims to accelerate the pace of wealth accumulation for Black individuals and families and address systemic underinvestment in Black communities.

“When communities experience natural disasters, the financial, housing, and job stability of its residents are all simultaneously tested. This burden has a greater effect on the most vulnerable families,” said Garnesha Ezediaro, who leads Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Greenwood Initiative.

“That’s why local strategies to combat disaster-induced financial inequity are so critical. Through this partnership, the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund will create opportunities to significantly strengthen local emergency responses and prepare our communities in a way that centers underserved residents.”

The CFE Fund supports municipal efforts to improve the financial stability of households by leveraging opportunities unique to local government. To date, fund officials say they have disbursed over $66 million in grant support to municipal partners.