Hurricane Irma - Ways You Can Help

As Hurricane Irma continues her northward path, emergency operations and public utilities workers on the ground in our region continue to assess and clear damage.

We will know more in the coming days about the extent of Irma’s impact and resulting recovery needs in our community. Meanwhile, we know that communities throughout Florida will deal with varying degrees of destruction and need.

Here are a few ways you can help:

Gulf Coast Disaster Fund – Gulf Coast Community Foundation activated our Gulf Coast Disaster Fund in anticipation of Irma’s impacts. Online donations can be made here. (Gulf Coast donors may direct a grant from their donor advised fund by logging in to their fund here.)

All gifts to the Gulf Coast Disaster Fund will be distributed to nonprofit organizations providing critical relief and recovery services within our community. Gulf Coast will work with government and nonprofit leaders to determine the efforts that meet our region’s greatest needs.

Other Giving Opportunities

The Miami Foundation ‒ The Miami Foundation has several funds dedicated to relief and recovery from Hurricane Irma in communities it serves. The foundation’s Hurricane Relief Fund will support recovery and rebuilding work driven by organizations on the ground in the Miami area. The Irma Caribbean Strong Relief Fund will support relief efforts in small Caribbean island nations and territories, including Antigua & Barbuda, U.S. Virgin Islands and the Bahamas. The Irma Community Recovery Fund will support relief efforts for Florida’s marginalized communities, ensuring residents in poverty have access to critical services and resources.

Southwest Florida Community Foundation – Our friends to the south in Lee County have set up the SWFL Hurricane Relief Fund to assist in Lee, Hendry, Glades, Charlotte, and Collier counties. Donors can select a community to which their support will be directed. Learn more and donate here.

Community Foundation of Collier County – The foundation has partnered with several public and nonprofit agencies to create the Collier Comes Together Disaster Relief Fund. Learn more and donate here.

Center for Disaster Philanthropy – This national leader in effective giving in the wake of disasters has set up a Hurricane Irma Disaster Recovery Fund to support medium- to long-term rebuilding in the entire impact area of the storm. CDP also created a Hurricane Irma Disaster Profile page with info and resources about the storm’s impact.

More Irma relief resources – Florida Philanthropic Network has compiled an extensive list of Hurricane Irma disaster philanthropy resources.