In the middle of helping the community recover from Helene, Tampa Bay’s nonprofits are expanding their hurricane relief work after Milton delivered a second hit to the region.
Feeding Tampa Bay has daily food and emergency distribution sites across the region. The daily schedule is posted on the
Feeding Tampa Bay Facebook page. The nonoprofit also urgently needs volunteers to support relief distribution events. Since Helene, Feeding Tampa Bay has distributed more than 1.5 million meals and held 56 emergency distribution events.
On Sunday, October 13th, there are Hillsborough County distribution events from noon to 2 p.m. at HCC SouthShore in Ruskin; Feeding Tampa Bay’s Causeway Center, 3624 Causeway Blvd; and the University Area Community Development Corporation's Harvest Hope Park, 13704 N. 20th St. in Tampa.
In Pinellas, there's a distribution event from noon to 2 p.m. at the Tarpon Springs Boys & Girls Club, 111 W. Lime St. in Tarpon. In Polk County, there is a distribution from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Mercy and Love Outreach, 1400 E. Georgia St. in Bartow.
Feeding Tampa Bay also has dine-in hot meals at its new Causeway Center headquarters. The organization’s neighbor services team is also helping people impacted by the storm navigate the process of applying for FEMA assistance and other programs.
For more information, go to Feeding Tampa Bay disaster relief
Metropolitan Ministries relief services
Metropolitan Ministries has emergency hot meals available through its community partners in the Bay Area. A daily list of locations is posted on
Metropolitan Ministries Facebook page.
This weekend, family support centers are open at 2301 Tampa St. in downtown Tampa; the Prosperity Center at Thaddeus M. Bullard Academy, 2011 E. Slight Ave. in East Tampa; and 3216 US HWY 19 in Hoildy in west Pasco County.
For more information, go to Metropolitan Ministries resources
Community Foundation Tampa Bay Rapid Response Fund, critical needs list
Following Helene, Community Foundation Tampa Bay activated its Tampa Bay Rapid Response Fund and put $1.2 million toward its nonprofits' critical needs list to help with short-term relief and long-term recovery. Now those programs expand to help nonprofits and the community recover from Milton.
The
Rapid Response Fund distributes money to front-line nonprofits to help them provide emergency food, shelter, clothing, medical treatment and meet other needs. It provides funding to help fix storm-related damage to facilities and vehicles that hinder the delivery of services to the community. It also goes toward more long-term recovery efforts. The fund starts with approximately $1 million on hand as it goes active to begin accepting donations and making grants.
The
critical needs list is a resource for nonprofits to share the most pressing needs related to their own recovery from the storm and the increased community need. It is updated regularly.
Community Foundation Tampa Bay provides a one-to-three match for any Community Foundation donor-advised fund or family foundation grants to the critical needs list. The maximum is a $5,000 match for a $15,000 contribution. A portion of the $1.2 million Community Foundation Tampa Bay has committed will go toward those matching grants. Community Foundation Tampa Bay also has a contact list of
nonprofit, federal, state and local resources available to assist with relief and recovery.
For more information, go to Community Foundation Tampa Bay
University Area Milton relief
Milton brought devastating flooding to the University Area of North Tampa after a power outage at Hillsborough County's Duck Pond pump station, one of the county’s largest, severely limited the ability to drain stormwater from the low-lying areas of the neighborhood.
The University Area Community Redevelopment Corporation (UACDC), a nonprofit that works to improve the quality of life in at-risk neighborhoods near the University of South Florida through education, housing, healthcare, recreation and social services, has launched a relief fund to help families and residents hit by Milton.
Immediate needs include temporary housing for families displaced by flooding and storm damage, food and essential supplies and assistance with FEMA paperwork.
To donate, go to UACDC Milton relief
Tampa Bay Resiliency Fund
Activated after Helene to support nonprofits’ on-the-ground relief work and their own recovery from storm damage and impacts, the Tampa Bay Resiliency Fund (TBRF) has expanded to meet the growing community needs after Milton.
The TBRF is a collaboration between Allegany Franciscan Ministries, Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, Pinellas Community Foundation and United Way Suncoast. The partner organizations collaborate and pool resources to swiftly identify needs and provide financial support to nonprofits addressing the widespread effects of the disaster. Pinellas Community Foundation is the fiscal agent for the fund.
“By putting the right infrastructure in place ahead of time, we’re able to activate the Fund quickly, ensuring that help reaches those impacted without delay,” Pinellas Community Foundation CEO Duggan Cooley says in a press release. “This rapid response, coupled with long-term recovery efforts, will ensure that families and communities hardest hit are supported every step of the way.”
The TBRF directs donations from individuals and organizations to nonprofit groups actively involved in disaster relief efforts and recovery and to nonprofits impacted by the storm. The next $200,000 in donations to the TBRF will be matched dollar for dollar.
For more information, go to Tampa Bay Resiliency Fund
Local government relief information
The Tampa Bay region’s counties, cities and towns are providing updated information on recovery and relief efforts on their websites and Facebook pages.
St. Pete’s
hurricane relief recovery webpage has details on the “We Are St. Pete” relief fund launched in partnership with Pinellas Community Foundation, food distribution sites, open gas stations, comfort and charging stations, WiFi hotspots, volunteer opportunities, utilities, how to apply for FEMA assistance, the temporary free bus fare initiative in partnership with PSTA and more.
The St. Petersburg Facebook page has updates on debris collection, free fuel distribution sites, food distribution sites and more.
On Facebook, St. Pete highlights its Hometown Recovery Haulers program, a “grassroots effort to help clear storm debris in our hardest-hit neighborhoods while supporting small, local businesses.” On Saturday, October 12th, local haulers hired through the program cleared debris in Coquina Key, Clam Bayou, Broadwater, Riviera Bay, Shore Acres, Causeway Isles, Bartlett Park, Yacht Club Estates and the Park Street area.
The
City of Tampa webpage has information on storm debris and regular solid waste collection schedules, how to apply to federal relief programs, how to self-report damage, charities providing community relief, HART emergency service and how to avoid contractor scams.Tampa also has an updated list of
open businesses.
Hillsborough County has information on shelters, resources, debris collection, power outages and the flood warnings for the Hillsborough River Near Zephyrhills at Hillsborough River State Park, the Hillsborough River at Morris Bridge, the Alafia River from U.S. 301 to Lithia-Pinecrest Road and the Little Manatee River at U.S. 301 in Wimauma.
Working with the National Guard, Hillsborough County has also set up three drive-through distribution points where residents can pick up water, tarps and meals without leaving their vehicles.
On Sunday, October 13th, sites are Elev8 Fun at Citrus Park Mall, HCC Brandon, the Walmart at 9205 Gibsonton Dr. in Gibsonton, and 431 19th Ave. NE in Ruskin. The sites are open until 7 p.m. or supplies run out.
Pinellas County has information on cooling stations, shelters, housing options for displaced residents, debris cleanup, mental health resources, business recovery, closures, available mental health resources and more.
Clearwater has details on charging and cooling stations, closures, event cancellations and reopenings, recycling, solid waste and debris pickup, a pop-up permitting site, volunteer opportunities, utility updates and more storm-related resources.
Manatee County has updated information on food and supply distribution sites, free fuel distribution, open gas stations, power outages, debris pickup and post-storm recovery resources.