CRISFIELD — Continued success with its projects and careful financial stewardship helped the Eastern Shore Long Term Recovery Committee receive $100,000 awarded to National VOAD by the Verizon Community Resilience Grant Program and passed through by Maryland VOAD, short for Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.

This grant will be used to continue to raise vulnerable properties out of the flood plain — a mitigation effort that makes properties safe from future flooding. This phase has a goal of elevating 100 homes.

What was founded as the Somerset County Long Term Recovery Committee to respond to damage from superstorm Sandy in October 2012 resulted in 32 new or elevated houses all two feet over base flood elevation.

Since then, none of those properties suffered from floodwater intrusion — including after a major tidal flood that took place nearly nine years to the day after Sandy struck, and for which no federal assistance was authorized. That unnamed storm event was equal and in some places greater than Sandy in Somerset and Dorchester counties.

During the response on the Eastern Shore, in conjunction with Maryland VOAD, the Long Term Recovery Committee decided to combine recovery with mitigation and stay ahead of future storms and tides by repairing and elevating 100 homes of which five have been completed — three with direct support from the Verizon grant.

Up to seven more elevations are in the pipeline. Kimberly Hopkins, disaster recovery coordinator, is the recovery committee’s only paid staff member who serves to not only oversee construction but serve as case manager with clients and is the go-to person for partner agencies and volunteers.

“We realized that we couldn’t ‘Keep on doing the same old thing’ and expecting to get different results,” wrote the Rev. Phil Huber, chair of Maryland VOAD.

Volunteer construction crews that assisted after Sandy were re-engaged to support the elevation of homes, which saves an average of $35,000 each time.

Through repair and elevation, “we are providing a safe home for families to live in,” preserving the city and county tax base, and showing funders “that we are being good stewards of their dollars,” Pastor Huber wrote.

Thermally Modified Wood used

Houses built or elevated by the Long Term Recovery Committee are often distinguished by long handicap-accessible ramps to reach the first floor. Through a pilot program with the Maryland Forest Service, Department of Natural Resources and Homes Innovation Research Labs Inc., Thermally Modified Wood (TMW) produced by Edrich Lumber is being used on porches and decks.

The yellow poplar is treated with high heat and steam in a controlled environment to change the wood’s cell structure without using chemicals. While used in Europe, it is a relatively new product in the U.S. This project with the Long Term Recovery Committee was approved by the USDA Forest Service to test its effectiveness and durability.

“It is anticipated that this product can replace chemically treated and environmentally harmful, pressure treated wood,” Pastor Huber stated.

Maryalnd VOAD, and the Recovery Committee partners

Maryland VOAD last year accepted applications from its partners to distribute grant funding from Verizon. Partners with the Eastern Shore LTRC include Mennonite Disaster Service, Lutheran Disaster Response, the Disciples of Christ’s Week of Compassion, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, the United Church of Christ, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church, Peninsula-Delaware Conference of the United Methodist Church, Brethren Disaster Ministries, Islamic Relief USA, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Anne Arundel-Annapolis Community Emergency Response Team, City of Crisfield, Somerset County Commissioners, Maryland Department of Emergency Management and American Legion Post 16.

Through National VOAD, Verizon grants went to a total of 13 recovery groups which will benefit projects in 11 states to include Alaska and Hawaii. Its primary purpose is to support resilient home repairs, and to be eligible, recipients had to be involved in recovery projects for at least 10 years.

In addition to the Eastern Shore, also receiving $100,000 in Maryland through Verizon was Brethren Disaster Ministries to benefit the Western Maryland LTRC which responded to the May 2025 catastrophic flash flood in Allegany and Garrett counties.

Pastor Huber wrote that the response that started in Somerset County after Sandy was possibly “one of the first, if not the first of its kind to combine long term recovery with an intentional mitigation component.”