Mold remediation programs offered on Staten Island

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation has launched a mold remediation program for Staten Islanders whose homes were damaged during Hurricane Sandy.

Starting next week, the program will dispatch volunteers who have been trained in mold remediation to homes in need. The group is also seeking to hire U.S. military veterans to do some of the work, said Frank Siller, foundation chairman.

"We did this as one of the steps on the road to rebuilding. We received so many calls about mold at the foundation," said Siller. "Mold remediation is very costly and people don't have the money to get it done. So we decided to get our own supplies, materials and equipment to do it ourselves. We have enough equipment to work on up to 10 houses at one time."

While there are seven volunteers who have been trained in mold remediation to supervise the jobs, the foundation has dozens of volunteers willing to lend manpower to the job, he said.

"A lot of the volunteers we have are those who have been with us since the beginning. To date, the foundation has 'mucked out' over 15,000 houses on Staten Island. In the beginning we weren't doing the mold remediation," said Siller.

Trained volunteers already have a list of 100 houses the foundation has identified as being in need of mold remediation. "If someone hasn't done mold remediation in their home to date, then they don't have the resources to get it done," said Siller.

For more information or to volunteer, call 718-987-1931.

Meanwhile, the city announced on Thursday a separate, $15 million, two-part program made possible through an American Red Cross, Robin Hood Foundation and Mayor's Fund partnership. This program will allow 2,000 of the city's "neediest homeowners" to have their homes rid of mold free of charge, and will provide mold remediation training sessions for homeowners and volunteers.

Those homeowners who aren't singled out for the free remediation can attend "new awareness and safe practice trainings" on mold treatment work. At these sessions, homeowners and volunteers can learn how to remove mold, and will receive mold supply kits. The city's first two mold remediation training sessions on the Island will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. on Feb. 16 at Oasis Church at 539 Greeley Avenue, Midland Beach, and on Feb. 23 in Community Center at Mount Loretto at 6541 Hylan Blvd., Pleasant Plains.

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Mold remediation programs offered on Staten Island