Grants Help With Lingering Needs from Hurricane Irma

June marks the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season—complete with high humidity, heavy rains, and crossed fingers for a mild storm season. NOAA’s prediction of a “near-normal” season (nine to 15 named storms; two to four major hurricanes) is similar to the forecast in 2017, when Florida was raked by Hurricane Irma. Nearly two years later, though, the impact of Irma still affects people in our region, and several of Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s trusted nonprofit partners continue to help families climb out from the damage.

Earlier this year, Gulf Coast approved nearly $50,000 in disaster grants to address lingering needs resulting from Hurricane Irma, as well as to help nonprofits ensure they’re prepared for future events. One of those grants was $25,000 to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Venice, which had rallied to serve a 10-county area in the immediate aftermath of Irma.

“We took care of the people on the west coast of Florida early on, right after the hurricane,” says Catholic Charities CEO Philomena Pereira. Relief funding came from Catholic Charities USA, generous donations from individuals, and organizations like Gulf Coast, which awarded an emergency grant to distribute food, water, and household cleaning kits.

Since springing to action back in 2017, the agency has served nearly 400 households needing assistance with things like rent, utilities, and home repair. However, issues remain for others.

“Unfortunately, we still have at least 30 cases that we’re working on,” says Pereira. “It’s hard when you’re constantly living in an environment where there’s something wrong within your home. It’s pretty scary.”

That’s where the flexible funding of a community foundation can help, notes Gulf Coast’s Jon Thaxton, who oversaw the distribution of emergency grants within a day of Irma’s strike as well as the recent disaster grants for ongoing needs.

“One of the unmet needs Catholic Charities is still seeing has been mobile home repairs,” says Thaxton. “We don’t want to replace government funding or insurance payments, but we can help Catholic Charities bridge gaps for these families with our grant.”

Another recipient of recent funding was Laurel Civic Association. It also received Gulf Coast funding in the days after Irma, for Laurel residents needing food assistance or temporary lodging, but it is still helping three households with roof problems these many months later.

While the tropics are still relatively inactive so far, the best defense is hurricane preparedness. “The first thing we do is pray that it won’t happen, and then the other piece is being as prepared as we possibly can be,” says Pereira.

For information on how to prepare for hurricane season from Sarasota County Emergency Services, go here.