WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker have announced $31,288,355.19 in federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support Hackensack Meridian Health Inc.’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic as the number of cases continue to surge across the state.

“As we see COVID-19 cases rise across New Jersey, our hospitals must have the adequate resources to care for their patients and protect the safety of their doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals,” said Sen. Menendez.“This funding is critical to ensuring our state can combat this virus and make it through the second wave.”

“New Jersey is entering another challenging stage of the coronavirus pandemic, making it essential that our hospitals receive the federal funding required to effectively respond to this crisis,” said Sen. Booker. “This grant money will help ensure that our frontline hospital workers have the critical resources necessary to protect the health and well-being of our state’s residents.”

Hackensack Meridian, which was awarded $32 million last month from FEMA, can use this funding for the reimbursement and future purchases of COVID-19 test kits and personal protective equipment, such as gloves, goggles, face shields, N95 respirator masks, and sanitizer at its 17 hospital locations across Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties. They also have physician offices, urgent cares and rehabilitation facilities across the state.