As a direct result of its involvement with Hurricane Sandy response and salvage efforts, AFR NYC was encouraged by the New York Community Trust to apply for a grant to train a team of Heritage Responders utilizing the American Institute for Conservation Community Emergency Response Team Model (AIC-CERT) model that could be deployed to assist in the recovery of collections within the New York City area.

With the NYCT’s generous funding, this and other important new initiatives are underway within AFR.  Alongside the establishment of a Heritage Response Team, the current leadership has been working to better define the mission of AFR-NYC and provide for future sustainability of the organization, increase outreach and mapping of our constituency, and develop key tools for improved emergency communication within the New York cultural community.